WildeHopps Week: Something More
by ADeadMissionary
Summary: Caught in her own lie, Judy asks Nick to pretend to be her boyfriend while her parents are in town. Secretly harboring romantic feelings for the doe, Nick agrees to it. Collaboration with Starfang's Secrets for WildeHopps Week!
1. Dream by Starfang's Secrets

Title: Something More

Prologue: Dream

 _The stars were the perfect compliments to the full moon hanging low in the night sky. Its luminous glow, while soft, was strong enough for the couple enjoying themselves in the inky waters of a small lake. Surrounded by trees and miles away from the city, their only audience were the crickets singing softly to them._

" _This is such a wonderful night, Nick." Judy cooed as she lazily floated along the water's surface. It was the middle of summer, the nights nearly stifling hot in the forest they were camping in. Dressed in a pale blue bikini that was nearly white in the moonlight, the night dip was the perfect balm to the sweltering heat._

 _Entranced by the way the moonlight played off of her soaked fur, Nick was slow to respond. "Yeah."_

 _Turning an eye in his direction at his softly spoken word, Judy slowly stood up, the water trickling down her body as she did so. Being in shallow waters, it came up to her chest, while Nick was nearly waist deep in it. Gazing up at him, her amethyst eyes nearly glowed in the moonlight, their light reflecting off his predatory eyes._

" _I love you." Nick said, his whole soul bared in those three words. His breath hitched in his throat when she smiled adoringly at him._

" _I love you, too."_

 _Reaching out to take her paw into his, the tod drew her in closer until their chests were pressed against one another. Gazing down at her, he lifted his other paw up to stroke her cheek as he leaned down to—_

 _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

With a startled yelp, Nick awoke to the brutal ringing of his alarm clock. Wide-eyed, with a paw braced against his chest, he took in gulping breaths,trying to calm his racing heart.

When he was cognizant enough to realize exactly where he was, Nick let out a frustrated groan as he flopped back down onto his bed. The alarm continued to blare loudly as he glared at the ceiling.

Lifting a paw, he splayed his fingers wide, paw pads facing towards the ceiling before he turned it around. He gazed at the appendage for a beat.

"It was just a dream." He whispered sorrowfully. Resignedly.

 _Dreams_.

What are dreams? Hopes and desires not yet acquired, or mental pictures all mushed together in one kaleidoscope of images that made sense only to the individual dreaming them.

' _It doesn't matter.'_ Nick thought as he smiled bitterly as his paw. ' _They're both imaginary...unattainable.'_

With that somber thought, the tod finally turned off his alarm and got up to start getting ready for another shift of trying to make the world a better place with the one bunny that meant the world to him.

~o.8.o~

Authors's Note: Prologue written by Starfang's Secrets and edited by SovietMD.

This is a collaboration between myself and Starfang's Secrets for WildeHopps Week. If everything goes well, we will post a chapter a day, one for each prompt found on AoiRem2816's DA account. Check it out for more details.


	2. Purpose by ADeadMissionary

Chapter One: Purpose

In a tiny apartment in Savannah Central, a phone laid on a desk. The lit screen was the brightest thing in the otherwise dark room.

"- _know how much we worry about you-_ "

A rabbit sat slumped in a chair before the desk, head lolled over the seat back, ears hanging slack.

"- _these are the best years of your life-_ "

One bleary, violet eye cracked open, then slowly rolled toward the digital clock on the nightstand.

"- _there's more to life than your career-"_

The electric green display read _**05:27**_. Only three more minutes until she could cite having to go to work to get out of this.

" _JUDITH LAVERNE HOPPS!_ "

The doe jumped in her seat, head snapping up and ears shooting to attention. She looked down at her phone and the image of her irritated mother it showed.

"What?"

" _Are you listening to me?!"_

"Yes."

" _What did I_ just _say?_ "

"Something about how I'm a terrible daughter for not giving you eight dozen grandkits."

" _Judy!"_

"What? Is eight dozen not enough? I could try for nine." Judy spent a second contemplating where this snide sarcasm was coming from. Her eyes rose to the framed picture she had sitting on her desk of Nick and her at his ZPD Academy Graduation. Violet eyes rolled in their sockets. The answer was obvious.

" _Excuse me for wanting more for my daughter._ "

Exhaustion combined with frustration and the words were out of Judy's mouth before she realized what she was saying. "Excuse me for wanting to do more with my life than _breed._ "

Two sets of violet eyes widened in shock. Then, one closed in resignation while the other narrowed in fury.

" _What is that supposed to mean? Is being a mother not_ important enough _for you? Is what I do_ beneath you _, Officer_?"

Placing her elbows on the desk, Judy sank her face into her paws. "Mom, I didn't say that."

" _You didn't have to. I'm not as dim as you seem to think I am, Judith._ "

Judy winced as her mother used her name again. The matronly doe only ever called her "Judith" when she was in trouble. She dropped her arms to the desk so she could look at the phone properly. Seeing Bonnie's pinched, indignant expression, Judy knew she had to run damage control.

"Mom," Judy began in a respectful tone, not wanting to upset Bonnie further, "I don't look down on you. You're a fantastic mother, and I love you. It's just that having a ton of kits is not for _me._ Why can't you see that? I'm not you, or Jessica, or Leylanie, or even Rebecca! I'm not like my sisters. When are you going to accept that I'm _Judy_ ; an officer? I have other priorities then having a family."

Bonnie was silent as she mulled over her daughter's heartfelt and honest supplication. Maybe she _had_ been pushing too hard. Finally, she let out a sigh. " _I just don't want you to be alone, Judy. Bunnies don't do well on their own._ "

Some of the tension seeped out of Judy's shoulders as the dreaded "Judith" went away. She managed a small, reassuring smile. "I'm not alone, Mom. I have lots of friends."

" _That's not what I mean and you know it, dear. What if you_ never _have kittens of your own? It could be the greatest regret of your life._ "

"I live in the _city,_ mom. I'll never be able to afford to house a bunch of kits."

" _It doesn't have to be eight or nine dozen, Judy. Why not one litter?"_

Because big litters ran in the family, that's how her mother had so many kittens by early middle age, and Judy didn't think she could handle _one_ tiny life being entirely dependent on her, much less _fourteen!_ But if she blamed her biology her mother would take offense because Judy inherited her biology from _her_ and Judy couldn't handle another fight this early in the morning and oh, _fiddlesticks_ she hadn't said in anything in awhile _say something say something-_

"Because I don't like bucks!" Judy blurted.

There was an eerie quiet as two sets of violet eyes widened in surprise. Again.

Bonnie recovered first. " _Oh, sweetie. Why didn't you tell me? You know I don't care if you like does."_

Judy sighed in misery, once again dropping her face into her paws. "No, mom. I'm not gay."

" _Oh?_ " The older doe asked, blinking in confusion. " _Then what?"_

Judy let out a miserable groan and dropped her paws so they landed on either side of the phone. "I don't know, just… not rabbits."

Bonnie tilted her head, looking completely lost. "...Hares?"

"No, mom, not hares."

" _Hyraxes? Possums?_ What _, Judy?_ "

"Mom, its not any of those. It's-" Knowing this interrogation wouldn't end until her mother had an answer, Judy cast her gaze around for inspiration. When her eyes settled once again on the picture of Nick on her desk, her desperation found a crack and poured out. "Foxes. It's foxes, mom. I like foxes."

There was a moment of stunned silence. Then, Bonnie Hopp's violet eyes narrowed in thought. Judy shrunk back uneasily, sensing she wouldn't like what was coming.

" _Foxes. Like your partner, Officer Wilde._ "

Oh, fishsticks, this just kept _getting worse._

"...yes."

" _Are you dating your partner, Judy?_ "

"...yes?" Judy plastered on the most convincing smile she could and hoped the resolution was poor enough her mother wouldn't notice.

" _Humph. Well, you could do worse than a police officer. At least he's not some con artist._ "

That's right. She had never told her parents about Nick's past or what he had been doing when they met. Judy's already strained smile grew even more crooked and her eye twitched.

"Yeah, he's _great._ Nice to everyone. Very respectful. And an exemplary Officer. I wish you knew him better," Judy lied through her teeth.

" _Oh, don't worry. We'll get together and talk this out when we visit._ "

Judy froze, eyes wide with horror. She croaked, " **What**."

" _Oh, didn't we tell you? A farmers market opened up in Savannah Central and they want our stock. Your father and I decided to come up there and negotiate prices face to face so we could see you._ "

Judy's voice was faint as she replied, "I had no idea."

" _Oh. Well, we'll be there the day after tomorrow._ "

Before Judy could reply, an unseen, but familiar, voice called out on the other end of the line.

" _Bon-Bon! I need help!_ "

Bonnie glanced to the side, then back at the camera. " _That's your father, dear, I have to go. See you soon._ "

The image froze, blinked away to show " _ **CALL ENDED**_ ", then blinked again to her home screen, which was a selfie of her and Nick with their heads pushed together, bearing their teeth at the camera like vicious predators, or so she'd thought when she took it. They were both grinning too hard to look scary.

Judy closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at it. Nick was going to be furious _._ Or laugh himself sick at her expense, and she wasn't sure which was worse.

"Nick's going to _kill me,_ " Judy moaned piteously. Then she glanced at her clock. _**5:44**_. The rabbit jerked to attention. She was late! "Nick's going to kill me!"

* * *

The fox himself was standing at the reception desk chatting up Clawhauser when Judy burst through the front doors of the Station. Lifting his arm, Nick mimed checking a watch that wasn't there. "What the heck, fluff? I don't think you've ever been _nearly not early_ before."

Judy rushed past the fox on her way towards the bullpen, hooking his arm as she went.

"Sorry! Sorry! I'll explain later, okay?!"

Nick was too focused on keeping his balance as he was dragged behind the rabbit to respond. When they burst into the bullpen, the other officers were already on their feet, pounding the desks and chanting. Reaching their chair at the front of the room, Judy jumped into the seat just as Bogo came through the door, with Nick just managing to scramble up after her in time to be seated as their boss took up his spot at the podium.

"Alright, alright. Shut it!"

The room went quiet as the officers all took their seats.

With an intimidating, dignified air that only one of Bogo's stature could accomplish, the cape buffalo fished his undersized reading glasses from his breast pocket and carefully balanced them upon his snout.

"Hopps. Wilde. There's been multiple reports of suspicious activity around the Canals. Patrol the area, talk to the locals; see if anything funny is going on."

Without delay, Judy and Nick exited the bullpen and headed to their cruiser.

A few hours later, the sun was high in the sky and Judy sat alone in the cruiser's driver's seat. Rather than keeping a keen eye on her surroundings, like she was _supposed_ to be doing, the rabbit's head was down. Chewing a thumb claw, she stared sightlessly at her lap, so lost in thought she barely noticed when the passenger door opened.

Nick scrambled up into his chair, somewhat awkwardly since he had a foil wrapped cylinder in each paw. When he finally managed to get his tail in the seat, he placed one of the bundles in his lap and used his newly freed paw to close the door.

Huffing, he grabbed the bundle off of his lap. "I got you one of those spicy lettuce wraps you like." Lifting the shiny parcel to his nose, he gave it an experimental sniff, only to jerk back with a grimace. "Ugh. I don't know how you can stand so much ginger. I think I'd die if I ate this."

Twisting in his seat, Nick held the snack out for his partner to take. When Judy failed to respond, the fox narrowed his eyes.

Letting his arm drop so it rested on the console, Nick leaned forward. Keeping his tone light and conversational, he said. "The burrito baron said he saw four elephants in matching pink leotards dance through the park last night. They sang 'Ode to Funny Hats' and sacrificed a goose in the name of Cheezus."

"Uhuh. Make sure to take notes. Bogo will want a report," Judy said distantly, eyes still on her lap. Spotting the familiar glare of sunlight off tinfoil, she reached over and took the food from Nick's paw, all without raising her eyes, thanking him or otherwise acknowledging his existence.

Nick pursed his lips and flexed his now empty paw. "Your welcome," he said, keeping his tone light and irritation free through sheer force of will. "Just for kicks, I had them add in a shredded baseball glove. You know, kind of as a garnish." As he spoke, the irritation in his voice slowly increased, though he kept the volume very deliberately low.

Judy hummed absently, going through the motions of unwrapping her meal through sheer muscle memory.

Nick's eye twitched. "Instead of the corn salsa, I had them use horse meat and children's tears and you're _still_ not listening- _HOPPS!_ "

" _Gah!_ " Judy shouted in surprise, jerking away from the noise. She ended up with her back to the door, half unwrapped lettuce wrap clutched to her chest. She stared at Nick with wide eyed surprise.

The fox smiled, giving Judy a casual little wave with the paw that still rested on the console. "Hey there, Carrots. I hope you enjoyed your trip to La-La-Land, but I sure am glad you're back in Zootopia."

Seeing there was no threat, Judy decompressed with a huff. " _Cabbages,_ Nick! You scared me!"

"That what happens when you ignore your partner, cottontail."

"I was not-" The denial died on Judy's lips as Nick dropped his muzzle to stare at her from under quirked eyebrows, silently daring her to finish.

Judy looked away, as annoyed with Nick as she was with herself. "Fine, I'm a little distracted."

"And I'm only a _little_ charming."

When Judy didn't rise to the bait, Nick let his frustrations go with a sigh. "Talk to your partner, fluff. All this neglect is bad for the baby."

Judy turned her head to stare at Nick, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "What baby?"

The paw on the console twisted to point two claws up at Nick's face. "Me. _I'm_ the baby."

Judy huffed again, fighting back a smile. "Got that right."

Nick was glad to see her mood was somewhat improved, but it was time to get to the bottom of this distraction. "Carrots, level with me. What's wrong?"

Judy sighed, letting her head fall back against the door and dropping her lettuce wrap so it rested on her lap.

After a moment of quiet thought, she said, "I got in a fight with my mother this morning."

A frown spread across Nick's lips. Judy had been mentioning trouble with her parents, but hadn't gone into much detail. Apparently, talks had broken down.

"What happened?"

"Well, she called me. Said she wanted to chat. But then she started going on and on about…" Judy trailed off. She glanced awkwardly at Nick and turned away. Nick stared back at her with eyebrows quirked over her bizarre behavior. "...something. Anyway, she basically said my career wasn't important."

Nick winced, knowing _exactly_ how badly those reactions could be. "I bet _that_ went well."

"No. It did not. I said something that sounded a lot like _you_ , actually." Judy glared in Nick's direction. "Thanks for teaching me how to talk like a sarcastic jerk, you jerk! My mother just _loved it_."

For his part, Nick didn't look the least bit ashamed or repentant. "Don't try to shift the blame, rabbit. _You_ said the bad words, not me. What happened after that?"

"Well, let's just say I said something I shouldn't have."

When Judy stopped there and it was obvious she wasn't going to continue, Nick urged her to continue with a roll of his of paw. "Well?"

" _Well,_ that's it. I said something stupid and now I have to deal with it."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Your partner can't help you if he doesn't have any details, Carrots."

"My partner can't help me with this one," Judy said. Nick stared at her, truly surprised by her denial. "This is something I have to deal with on my own."

After a moment staring at her determined expression, Nick knew he wasn't going to change her mind. The fox settled back into his seat, face forward. Grabbing his own meal, he tore the tinfoil open. As he lifted it up, he noticed from the corner of his eye that Judy was watching him, her food in still in her lap. Looking back down at his tortilla stuffed with crickets and beans, he ordered, "Eat your gross burrito." Then he took a big bite of his own and looked out the passenger window, effectively ending the conversation.

Long ears went limp and fell down her shoulders as Judy stared at her partner in dismay. It was obvious that she had hurt him. Then she looked down at the lettuce wrap he'd gotten her and felt even worse. It was her favorite lunch in the whole area and only came from a small, popular food cart. He probably waited in line twenty minutes to get it for her, which was as long as he _could_ wait, considering their limited lunch break.

Sighing with regret, Judy brought up the tasty wrap and took a bite of the crisp lettuce, fresh veggies and delightfully tangy sauce. For how much she enjoyed it, it might as well have been ash.

* * *

The rest of the shift was spent mostly in tense silence, punctuated occasionally with the communications required by their job, but even those were flat and toneless.

At the end of the day, Judy parked the interceptor in the motor pool, feeling as though she'd just had the most unproductive work day of her career. If there was anything "funny" going on at the Canals, the infamous Hopps/Wilde duo sure hadn't found out what.

After turning the keys to the off position, Judy rubbed her eyes with both paws. The sound of a car door thudding shut had her head shooting up in alarm. Turning to the right, she stared at the now empty passenger seat with disbelief. For about two seconds.

"Oh, for pete moss' sake," Judy swore as she unbuckled her seatbelt. Throwing her door open, she leapt from the vehicle and chased after her best friend.

Surprisingly, she found him almost at once. He was standing next to the elevators, in a little corner where the cameras couldn't see. Judging from the multiple crumpled cigarette butts scattered about the pavement at their feet, it was a well known secret.

The fox had his back against the wall, arms crossed, tail curled around his feet and muzzle down. He was obviously waiting for her.

Judy walked up to him, raised a paw with one claw pointed at ceiling, opened her mouth and froze. Now that she found him, she realized she didn't have a clue what to say. She wanted to apologize, but she also knew that she wasn't ready to let him help her with her parents, and saying _sorry, but I'm not changing my mind_ didn't feel genuine or helpful.

Sighing miserably, Judy let her paw fall back to her side. Stepping forward, she turned and leaned against the wall next to him, paws tucked behind her back and face tilted up as she pressed the top of her head against the wall.

The stayed that way for a few, long moments, with just the aching silence between them.

Nick spoke first, though he kept his eyes on the concrete just before his feet. "Well, today sucked."

The understatement made Judy's eyes roll, but also her head nod. "Yeah," she agreed.

"You're a cop, right?"

Knowing he was trying to make a point, Judy didn't bother with sarcasm. "Yu _p_ ," she said, popping her lips on the _p._

"Then you know that stress can make mammals do really dumb things."

After a quick, mental review of the last twelve hours, Judy couldn't help but agree. "I know."

"You know what helps me relax?"

"What?"

"Craft beer, greasy take out, a cheesy movie…" the fox finally shifted, moving his head so he was looking down at her with one eye. The corner of his lips was curled up in the barest beginnings of a smile. "And time with a friend."

Judy smiled back, shifting so she leaning against his arm. "Can we get those coconut worm skewers?"

Nick chuckled. "It freaks me out that you like those, but sure. All the skewers you can eat."

* * *

They ended up on Nick's couch, since Judy's apartment was too small for such things. The movie they were watching was some eighties b-movie featuring a musclebound idiot of a tiger and a vapid ocelot female lead who's only qualification for acting was that she was pretty.

Nick sat on his side of the couch, his favorite brand of home brewed beer in paw, while Judy sat curled up on the other, a pawful of empty, greasy skewers laid out on a napkin on the cushion next to her.

Though there was space between them, but they were far from separate. Nick's long, furry tail lay across Judy's legs, with the dark tip curled in her lap. The rabbit used both paws to stroke it, running her fingers over the lovely, coarse fur.

As the credits rolled, Nick threw back the last swig of his beer. Once it was gone, he pulled the bottle away with a satisfied sigh. Leaning forward, he gathered up the one other empty bottle and the two empty takeout boxes from the coffee table. "Make yourself comfortable," he said as he rose to his feet.

Judy let go of Nick's tail as it slipped from her lap. Grabbing the empty skewers, she placed them in one of the empty takeout boxes as the fox walked by.

While Nick busied himself with the cleanup, Judy turned to the back of the couch, which had a small, patterned blanket thrown over it. Grabbing it, she pulled it over herself.

When Nick returned, Judy was already curled up in a ball, her head on the armrest. When the fox sat down again, the bunny opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him.

They sat silently for a time, Nick staring forward and Judy watching him. Eventually, Nick said, "How do you feel? Less stressed?"

Judy nodded, humming an affirmative.

"Good, good." Things went quiet again. The silence wasn't awkward, so much as contemplative. Finally, Nick turned to her and said, "You know I'm here for you, right? For anything."

A simple nod wouldn't do. "I know, Nick. Thank you."

The fox gave a decisive nod. "Alright. You remember where your spare uniform is?"

"Suitcase under the couch."

"Got it in one. Good night, Carrots."

As the fox walked away, Judy stared after him. Purpose shone in her eyes.

 _Tomorrow. I'll tell him tomorrow._

* * *

Author's note: This chapter written by ADeadMissionary, with assistance from Starfang's Secrets.


	3. Proposal by Starfang's Secrets

Chapter Two: Proposal

The next morning found a tired Judy Hopps. Despite her determination to tell Nick what was going on, her nerves had kept her up the majority of the night, with the doe finally crashing in the wee hours of the morning. Her slumber didn't last long, however, and her jitters had her up bright and early. Try as she may, sleep would not return to her.

With a muted groan of defeat, Judy grabbed her phone to see what time it was. ' _4:30...ugh.'_ She mentally sighed as she forced herself into a seated position. After a huge yawn, she rubbed her eyes tiredly, mourning the lost hours of sleep. ' _One hour before we need to get ready. Great. What am I going to do with all this time…'_ Her ears popped up with inspiration.

Thirty minutes later, Nick exited his room to the smell of food cooking. Still sleepy, having not yet had his morning coffee, the savory scents were a welcome surprise that helped bring the fox further into the world of the living.

"Carrots?" Nick called as he made his way towards the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he went.

"Nick!" Judy greeted with a smile, turning away from the stove to face him. The fox paused at the vision before him.

She was still dressed in her clothes from the night before, but now had an apron tied around her waist and a spatula in paw. It was the most domestic the tod had ever seen the bunny, and it sent a sharp pang through his chest, along with a deep longing. He hid it well, however, as he smiled in greeting.

"Good morning, Carrots." Nick sighed happily as he took his seat at the table. "A pretty face," he took in a deep breath, "the smell of good food. If this is how you do things every morning, you should spend the night more often." The words were out before he could stop them, and forced a smile on his face to ride it out.

To his relief, the doe just laughed. "This is a one-time deal, Slick." Judy teased. "I woke up earlier than usual and couldn't go back to sleep, so I figured I'd do something with the extra time. Besides, it's not anything too fancy." She said as she moved the contents of the frying pan to a plate. Setting the dirty dishes into the sink for later, she moved to bring the plate to Nick. "Scrambled eggs are the only predator food I know how to cook."

Seeing what she was doing, Nick rose out of his seat to stop her. "I can get my own food—"

"Sit." Judy commanded softly, a smile on her lips as she placed the food before Nick. Hospitality was in her blood; having grown on a farm and with a family as large as hers, they would all take turns serving the family at mealtimes. Living in the city, she didn't cater much to others, and it wasn't really her thing, but seeing Nick's expression melt into sheepishness was worth the extra effort she was putting into it.

"Thanks, Judy." Nick said softly, grateful that his fur was red to hide the blush. Judy had never cooked for him before, and he had never seen this side of her. As smooth and in control as Nick liked to be, he was out of his element here, and didn't know how to react. "Where's your food?"

"Already ate." Judy chirped as she took her seat right across from him. "Buttered toast and an apple!"

"You sure that's enough for you?" Nick asked as he began to eat. He couldn't help the shiver that raced down his spine at the thought of eating something Judy made for him.

"I'm full." She assured with a grin, now wanting to mention that it was butterflies making her so full. They fell into companionable silence while Nick ate. Judy watched the food she had made slowly be consumed, and waited until he had a mouthful before speaking again. "Thank you."

Mouthful of eggs, Nick quirked a brow at her in question.

"For putting up with me yesterday," Judy elaborated, "and making me feel better."

Nick narrowed his eyes playfully and smiled after swallowing his food. "Is this what this is? A 'Thank You' breakfast?"

Judy gave him a sheepish smile. "Kinda."

The fox raised his brow again. "Kinda?"

"It's...also an 'I'm Sorry' breakfast." Judy confessed as she averted her gaze.

Plate empty, Nick frowned as he pushed it away. "What's wrong?"

Judy bit her lip before sighing. "You already know that my mom called yesterday." She didn't see Nick's ears perk as she started to talk about the day before. Her trepidation returned in full force, and kept her from looking at her partner. "She basically said breeding was more important, and that I needed someone to be with, and I was just so _tired_ of her being so pushy about me being in a relationship that I...I said something stupid and panicked." She opened her mouth to continue, but the words didn't come out as she felt her face heat up with mortification.

Seeing that she needed some help, Nick leaned back in his seat. "What did you say?"

"I said...I didn't like bucks...or rabbits in general." Judy added quickly. "I said I like..."

"Like?" Nick prompted, wondering what she could have said that would be so horrible.

"...Foxes." She finished, unable to look at Nick.

' _Well, that did it.'_ The tod thought, even as his heart began to race. "Foxes." He stated calmly.

"Yup." Judy nearly squeaked, her shoulders hunching slightly as a blush overtook her whole body. Feeling exposed, she pulled her ears over her face.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Nick asked, "Then what happened?"

There was a beat of silence before, in a terrified squeak, Judy let it all out in one breath.

"Sheaskedifweweregoingoutandipanickedandsaidyesandtheyrecomingtomorrowandcanyoupretendtobemyboyfrinedplease?!"

Nick paused, taking a moment to process the barrage of words that had just been hurled at him. When he thought he had the gist of it, his heart began to jump into overdrive, even as he held a calm facade on the outside. "Let me get this straight...to avoid more of your mom pushing bucks at you, you told her we're dating?" At Judy's wordless nod behind her ears, the tod continued. "And now they're coming to visit tomorrow and you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?"

"Yes." Judy whispered, sheepishly peeking at Nick from behind her ears.

"Oh, good. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."

Ears popping up surprise, the doe stared at Nick. "You're not...mad at me? About to laugh at my misery?"

"This is hardly the worst thing that's ever happened to me, Carrots." Nick said with a reassuring smile. "And while this is amusing," his smile turned into a grin at her pout, "you're a friend in need, and I'll help out anyway I can."

"Really?" Judy asked, completely surprised at this turn of events.

"Really, really." Nick replied. He was not prepared for the bunny torpedo that launched herself at him at his words. "Whoa!" He exclaimed as he steadied the both of them. ' _I didn't even see her leave her seat! Did she teleport?!'_

"Oh, thank you, Nick!" Judy gushed as she tightly hugged the fox. "It will only be for a day—three days max, and then we can have a pretend breakup, I promise!"

Nick was glad Judy couldn't see his face in her current position, because he couldn't stop the wince that crossed his face at her words. Wrapping his arms around her, the fox forced a smile onto his face and into his voice. "Anything for you, Carrots." He was pretty sure this was going to hurt him in the end, a lot. ' _But if I have a chance to live my dream, I'm taking it. Even if it's only for pretend.'_

Judy then glanced at the clock display on the microwave and gasped. "Cheese and crackers, we're gonna be late!"

~o.8.o~

"Nearly late two days in a row, Hopps?" Francine teased lightly as the two females finished up in the restroom. "Has Wilde rubbed off on you?"

Judy chuckled nervously. "More than I'd like." The doe replied as she dried up her paws. The rabbit and fox had once again made it just before Bogo entered the bullpen, barely escaping parking duty by the tips of their tails. Finished with her task, Judy waved goodbye to the elephant cow as she exited the restroom. It wasn't much longer when she was entering the driver's seat of the cruiser she and Nick shared.

"Well, it's a good thing we're off tomorrow." The fox remarked as the two set out on patrol.

"Yeah." Judy sighed, relieved that they had that small mercy. There was no way Bogo would have given them a day off on such short notice, and they had enough to worry about as it was. After she started down the first part of their route, Judy gave Nick a side-glance. "So...I was thinking…"

"Don't hurt yourself, Fluff." Nick ribbed, glancing at her from behind his shades, a smirk on his face.

"Har, har." Judy rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "Anyways, I was thinking maybe we should...I don't know, get our story straight?"

"Like how long we've been dating?" Nick asked as he lowered his shades to look at her better. At her nod, he continued. "Makes sense. Hmm..." The tod scratched his chin lightly in thought as they stopped at a red light, easily slipping into the task of creating a believable lie.

"We could say we've been dating for a month now, which is why you haven't moved in with me yet." Nick began, eyes straight ahead as the words came to him. "I realized I had feelings for you after the missing mammals case, but kept quiet because I had just gotten you back and I didn't want to lose you. You, the little country bumpkin that you are, took a little bit longer to realize you had feelings for me, and when you did, you took the initiative, as you always do. You don't let anything get in the way of what you want, after all." Nick paused for a moment, tapping his bottom lip in thought, before a soft smile gently curved his lips.

"Our first date was on August tenth at _Jerry's Crabshack_. Nothing too fancy, and they cater to both pred and prey. Our first kiss was a week later, when we had our second date. We couldn't do it earlier because of our crazy schedules, but when we did finally manage to get it off, I took you to _Casa Bronco_. I know the chef, so we were able to get a good discount, but you didn't know that. I wore my dad's suit, and you finally wore that frilly pink number Fru-Fru got you months ago. After a fantastic meal, we took a walk around the park, and then when I took you home, we kissed." Nick paused once more at that, imagining what it would be like to finally kiss Judy. He quickly shook himself out of the moment and continued. "We've been steady ever since."

Silence settled between the two, and as the bunny at his side neglected to respond, Nick turned curiously towards her. Judy was staring at him wide-eyed, her mouth slightly ajar. Her ears were down, but he was surprised to see a blush dusting her cheeks.

 _HONK!_

The sudden noise had both officers jumping in surprise, an expletive leaving Nick's mouth as Judy realized the light had turned green. The doe quickly stepped on the gas, propelling their cruiser forward, causing a few other cars to honk their horns at them. Once the situation got settled, and their heart beats were somewhat back to normal, silence once against settled over them.

"That was...detailed." Judy observed, breaking the silence and odd tension that suddenly made itself known. "Seems like you have it all figured out." Her tone was a bit curious, almost suspicious.

Afraid that he may have gone a little overboard, Nick gave her his hustler grin. "I lied for a living, Hopps. Of course it's going to be detailed. That way, no one would suspect it's a lie."

Focusing on the road, Judy frowned a bit in thought, ignoring the strange twinge of disappointment his words caused. "I guess I see your point." She smiled suddenly, remembering when they first met. "You were pretty believable at the ice cream shop."

Nick chuckled at that. "It was a good performance, I'll admit."

"Alright, don't let that go to your head. Your ego is already so big, I'm surprised no one mistakes you for an air balloon."

"That was bad." Nick snickered, and Judy stuck her tongue at him. A now companionable silence fell over them, and the two began to do their job.

As the first half of their shift dragged by, Judy couldn't help but notice the couples out that day. Same species and, more rarely, interspecies couples were out enjoying the fall weather, enjoying each other's company. She observed how they kept close, one never straying far from the other. Most of them held paws, the few that didn't, the female was clinging to the arm of the male. And they kissed, constantly. Short and sweet, or drawn out and passionate, she blushed every time she saw it happen. Glancing at Nick, she began to wonder.

Lunch came a little after twelve, the two of them having to chase down a speeder being the reason for delay, and was taken at a cafe in the middle of their route. Nick ordered a spicy cricket wrap, and Judy got a simple berry salad.

"I am starving!" Nick announced, right before he took a large bite of his wrap. The excess food caused his cheeks to puff out like a hamster, and Judy giggled at the image it presented. The humor quickly left her, and the doe started to pick at her salad as her thoughts consumed her.

Noticing this, Nick spoke around his mouthful. "Carrot for your thoughts?"

Having just stabbed a slice of strawberry, Judy froze, her eyes glued to the red berry as a blush flooded her cheeks and ears as they fell limply against her back. Unsure in how to voice her thoughts, the doe dropped her fork and averted her gaze anywhere but at Nick.

Confused and amused by her reaction, the tod couldn't help but tease her. "That's a strong reaction for such a simple question. Wait, don't tell me—were you thinking dirty thou—"

"No!" Judy protested loudly, her eyes wide as they snapped up to Nick. Realizing that she had said that rather vigorously, the heat in her cheeks intensified as she tried to hide from the mammals now looking her way. In a lower tone, she nearly hissed at Nick. "No, I was not thinking...that!"

Deciding to give her a break, Nick refrained from teasing her further and adopted a semi-serious expression. "Then, what were you thinking?"

Sighing, Judy pouted at her food as she thought on how to voice her thoughts. "While we were on patrol, I noticed the couples in the area, and how close they were. Like, hugging all the time, paw holding, and k...ki...kissing." She nearly forced out the last word in an embarrassed whisper. It was a second before she could continue. "I realized that we're not close like that, physically." Mustering up the courage, shy amethyst flicked up to meet calm emeralds. "If we're going to fool my parents, we'll have to be close like that. We need to practice being that close."

Nick froze. His expression, his heart, breath; in that moment, everything froze for him. ' _Practice. She wants to practice.'_ His heart unfroze, skipped a beat, and started racing at the thought.

"Nick?" Judy hedged hesitantly.

"Uh, yeah. That's...that's a good idea." Nick said haltingly, his palm pads suddenly feeling sweaty. Glancing at his food, he suddenly wasn't hungry anymore, as it felt like he'd swallowed a flock of butterflies. "We, uh, better start practicing."

"When we get back to the cruiser." Judy squeaked, once again unable to look at Nick.

Though neither felt hungry enough to eat, they both forced their food into their mouths so they would have something to do and not talk for the rest of their break.

When they were done and it was over, they quickly made it back to their cruiser. This time, Nick was in the driver seat. Once they were buckled in, the car remained off as the tension between them increased.

"So," Nick cleared his throat, "I guess we can start now."

"Paw holding first." Judy insisted quickly, her cheeks aflame.

Nick nodded in agreement. "Paw holding first." He then extended his paw towards Judy, paw pads facing up, stopping halfway. After a moment's hesitation, Judy slowly placed her paw within Nick's much larger one.

' _This is stupid.'_ Judy chastised herself as her heartbeat picked up, her eyes glued to their paws as Nick's digits slowly closed around her paw. ' _We're just holding paws.'_ She thought, even as her stomach quivered at the contact. Nick then maneuvered their paws so their digits were intertwined. A warmth spread from her digits at the change of contact. ' _It's no big...deal…'_

"This is good, right?" Nick asked in a soft tone, his own gaze focused on their paws as well.

"Yes." Judy replied just as softly.

The silence that followed was filled with tension just like before, except there was a zing to it now. A subtle, yet hard to ignore, electric current that tingled down their spines as they slowly made eye contact.

Nick was the first to look away, his eyes focusing ahead as he quickly let go of Judy's paw. "We should," he cleared his throat as his voice cracked slightly, "we should head back out."

"Yes, right." Judy swiftly agreed as she looked away, a paw reaching up to slick her ears back to hide how red they were.

The silence returned in full force as the fox turned the ignition, safely guiding the cruiser into traffic. Judy wasn't sure how it felt to Nick, but to the doe, it was nearly suffocating. When she thought she couldn't take it anymore, movement out of the corner of her eye caused her to look at her partner.

Eyes focused ahead, Nick had one paw on the wheel, the other was stretched out tentatively towards her. Instead of chastising her partner about such unsafe driving habits, Judy tentatively placed her paw within Nick's once more, their digits intertwining. For the rest of their shift, it remained as such.

There had been a few extra touches here and there as the day passed; a familiar paw on a thigh, a longer hug, even cuddles when it was particularly slow—those sort of gestures. When the end of their shift finally did roll around, they no longer flinched at the less than platonic gestures, and their blush could be explained as "still new".

Twenty minutes before the end of their shift, the two were parked on their route a few blocks down from the station, watching the mammals for any suspicious activity. It was a good thing no one was feeling particularly malicious that day, as Nick and Judy could hardly pay attention to anything outside of the shy touches and their intertwined paws.

A couple kissing managed to catch Nick's attention, and the fox blushed hard at the reminder. While he had definitely enjoyed the day—being able to touch Judy in such a way was as thrilling as it was intimidating—this one aspect downright terrified him. It was more than just holding paws; they would be—

"We still haven't practiced kissing." Judy suddenly said, causing Nick's head to snap in her direction. The doe was gazing at him shyly, and the tod had to swallow thickly before he could speak.

"Right. Now?" He hedged, his heart pounding in his chest. At Judy's jerky nod, Nick found his heart picking up speed. "Okay."

Turning in their seats so they were facing one another, Nick kept his one paw intertwined with Judy's, and lifted the other out towards the doe's face. As his paw touched her furred cheek, his eyes zeroed in on the contact. The tod marveled for a second on how soft the fur felt against his paw pads. His eyes then flicked up to meet her gaze briefly, before they settled on her lips.

For the longest time, Nick had thought about what it would be like to kiss the mammal of his dreams. ' _Would it be weird, because of our differences?'_ He thought idly as he began to lean in. ' _Or would it feel...right?'_ Further thought vanished from his mind as their lips were just a breath away from touching.

' _What if she hates it?'_

It was this sudden, unwelcome thought that had Nick pulling away before they could kiss. The fear of that becoming a reality, of her not liking a display of _his_ affection; it had more control over him than he was willing to admit.

"Nick?" Judy whispered, confused by the slight hurt and disappointment that swelled within her at his actions.

"Ah, sorry, Judy." Nick gave an awkward chuckle. "I don't know what, uh, I'm-"

"It's okay." The doe quickly insisted, the hurt giving way to the awkwardness of the whole situation. "We don't really need to kiss to prove that we're a couple. Besides, it's not like we really are one, anyways."

Her hurried words unknowingly hurt the tod, and Nick had to look away to hide his expression. "Right." Glancing at the time, Nick quickly put the cruiser back into gear. "Better buckle up, we gotta head back to clock out."

Nodding, Judy complied as Nick quickly drove the car back to the precinct. Once they were clocked out and in their civies, the two met outside the precinct.

"I have a few errands to run before heading home." Judy said, the awkwardness from before still lingering between them. "So, my parents' train will be here at eight-twenty. I'll see you at Zootopia Central at eight-fifteen? By the fountain?"

Nick nodded in agreement. Normally, he would accompany Judy on such errands to prolong the time he had with her, but he had his own errands to run. "Eight-fifteen, bright and early. Don't forget to wear something nice."

With that, the two parted ways until the next day.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter written by Starfang's Secrets.

P.S. Sorry I'm posting this a day late. Honestly, it just slipped my mind until Star reminded me.


	4. Dating by ADeadMissionary

Chapter Three: Dating

Just as agreed, Judy arrived at Zootopia Central Station at exactly 8:15, wearing her favorite purple dress with the only purse she owned, a sensible black number with a sturdy strap, hung over her shoulder. As she approached the central fountain, she was surprised to note there was a strange fox already standing there, his back to her.

Even though she could only see his tail and the back of his head, it was plain to see that his fur was immaculately groomed, not a strand out of place. The burnt orange fur had a healthy, attractive sheen, complemented perfectly by his shiny satin, wine-red button up. Black suspenders reached over his shoulders and down his back, fastened to his matching black slacks with perfectly polished, silver buttons.

Surprise turned to shock when the perfectly groomed stranger turned to look at her with familiar green eyes and an even more familiar, laid back smile.

Judy was rooted to the spot as Nick sauntered up to her. It was with an arched brow that the fox noted her wide eyes and slack jaw.

"Nice statue impersonation, fluff," Nick said with humor. Reaching up, he hooked her hanging chin with a knuckle and pushed it up, closing her mouth with a click. "Although, I think you do a much better Thinker."

The contact seemed to restart Judy's stalled brain. The rabbit shook her head with a splutter. "Wuh- wuh- Wow! Nick! You look- you look-"

"Handsome? Dashing?" Nick supplied with a grin. While Judy was too distracted to notice, the fox gave her a once over, drinking in the way the flowy material of her dress settled about her slim waist and wide hips. "You don't look half bad, yourself."

"Oh! Umm," Judy looked down at herself, suddenly feeling very underdressed. "Thanks. It's my favorite dress. I'd rather be in jeans, though."

"I know, country bunny. You look lovely, though."

Judy's head jerked up and she stared at Nick in astonishment, cheeks aflame. " _Lovely_?" she squeaked. "You've never called me _lovely_ before."

"I've never seen you in a dress before."

Judy opened her mouth to refute that, but froze when she realized she couldn't name one time she had worn a dress in front of Nick in the eighteen months she had known him.

Seeing the rabbit freeze again, Nick shook his head with a smile. Reaching down, he grasped Judy's paw, causing her to jump.

"Your parents are going to be here any minute, fluff. Time to go," Nick explained before Judy could question him. Tucking her paw into the crook of his arm, he walked them towards the platform.

The way Judy fell silent at the mention of her parents spoke volumes to Nick about how nervous she was. The way she clutched his arm spoke volumes more.

So they stood on the platform waiting for the train to come in. It wasn't even thirty seconds before Judy's nerves had her thoughts racing.

"Wait, I told my mom I'm dating a fox. My mom _definitely_ told my dad and he would have called unless my mom _didn't_ tell him then he's going to find out right here and the shock might give him a heart attack- Oh, sweet cheese and crackers, what if I kill my dad-?"

"Carrots." Nick called, cutting off Judy's terrified rambling. When Judy looked up at him with wide, violet eyes, Nick smiled reassuringly and squeezed her paw. "Everything's going to be alright. No need to freak out."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I'm here-" Lifting Judy's paw from his elbow, Nick wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tucked her into his side. "-and I won't let anything bad happen."

Judy gratefully accepted Nick's comfort, pressing her face into his shirt and wrapping her arms around him, too discombobulated by her current circumstances to notice how strange it was for him to show her such straightforward affection.

The sight of the faux couple's embrace drew the attention of another odd pair passing by.

"Awww," cooed a silver fox wearing a yellow blouse and white capris. Standing her oversized and overstuffed wheeled luggage up on it's end, she grabbed the disposable camera that hung from a cord around her neck, lifted it up to one of her bright green eyes and snapped a photo.

Her companion, a tall, overweight Tasmanian tiger in jeans and a t-shirt, looked over her shoulder, curious about what had stopped them. Brown eyes rolled as he realized what it was. "Geez, Star. Spying on mammals again?"

The vixen turned a fierce glare up at the male. "It is not _spying,_ Adam, it's _reference._ Now c'mon, I want to get to the gallery early."

Before she'd even finished talking, the black and gray furred female had grabbed her luggage and was off, stepping purposefully through the crowd while dragging her nearly too big wheeled luggage behind her. Adjusting the strap of the duffle over his shoulder. the thylacine huffed and dutifully followed after his friend.

Too distracted with each other to notice the byplay, Judy and Nick only looked up as the expected train finally pulled into station.

Nick dropped his arm and Judy stepped away as the three differently sized doors slid open, disgorging a gamut of different mammals in various styles of dress. Once the initial rush had passed, a familiar face finally stuck their head out.

"Mom!" Judy called, hopping up and waving an arm over her head. "Mom, over here!"

Bonnie's eye widened in recognition. Reaching over, she grabbed something out of sight and made a beeline for her daughter. What she grabbed was revealed to be another bunny's wrist. Stu Hopps, more than familiar with his wife's habits, easily kept her pace. The only luggage that either seemed to carry was an old crate with a few different vegetables under Stu's arm.

As her parents drew near, an excited smile broke over Judy's face as the nervousness from before was forgotten. Rushing forward, she threw her arms around her mother and pressed her face into the older doe's soft shoulder. Bonnie let go of Stu's wrist so she could wrap both arms her daughter.

"Mom!"

"Sweety! It's so good to see you!"

The does squeezed each other, then backed up so they could exchange pecks on the cheek. They shared matching, bucktooth grins before separating.

Judy didn't waste time, turning and throwing her arms around her father.

"Dad!"

Twisting his body so the crate under his arm didn't get in the way, Stu wrapped his free arm around Judy's shoulders and squeezed her tight.

" _Theres_ my famous daughter!"

Judy kissed her father on the cheek before pulling back so she could look him in the eye. " _Don't_ call me famous. I'm just a cop, not a celebrity."

"You _did_ save the city, Jude," Stu pointed out.

Judy's smile dimmed at the reminder. Any mention of the Missing Mammals Case or the Nighthowler Conspiracy always brought with it memories of the _Press Conference Debacle._ Judy considered it and the argument with Nick that followed her greatest personal failures.

Knowing of Judy's sensitivity on the subject, Nick moved to distract her before the positive mood was ruined. Previously content to wait on the sidelines until the rabbits noticed him, the fox asserted his presence by stepping forward and gently clearing his throat.

Bonnie and Stu both snapped their gazes toward him. If their surprised expressions were anything to go by, they had completely overlooked the fox until that moment.

Judy's nervousness returned as she was reminded of why they were there. The doe quickly stepped to the side and, putting on her best smile, she indicated Nick with a sweep of her paw. "Mom, Dad. I know it's been a while, so I'd like to reintroduce you to Nick Wilde."

"Mister and Missus Hopps. It's good to see you again," Nick said respectfully, smiling as charmingly as he could without showing his teeth. He also held his paws behind his back to hide his claws. If what Judy said was true, then, while her parents were more accepting, they were still a little skittish.

Surprisingly, Stu recovered first. Quickly crouching down, he placed the crate down and then stood. The buck wrapped his arm around Bonnie's shoulders and pulled her into his side. "My wife here tells me you're dating my daughter," he said in a no-nonsense tone.

To the side, Judy's smile fell, replaced with a worried frown.

While Nick's smile also fell, his expression remained serene and his tone was respectful as he said, "Yes, sir. That's right."

"She also tells me you're partners on the force."

"That's true."

"I guess that means you're a cop, too."

"Yes, sir."

"Are you a good one?"

"Not as good as your daughter, but I can hold my own."

"Hmm," Stu hummed suspiciously, squinting up at the fox as he looked for any signs of weakness or deceit. Seeing none, he glanced over at Judy.

Paws fretting under her chin, Judy stared back at him with hopeful eyes, silently begging him for his approval.

The buck caved with a sigh. "Ever since that play, I knew Judy was going to be different from other rabbits. She keeps surprising me with _how_ different, but…"

Stu looked back at Nick, a tentative smile on his lips. "I'm glad it's with another cop. You'll keep my little girl safe, won't you?"

With squared shoulders and sober expression, Nick looked more determined than Judy had ever seen him as he swore, "I will do whatever it takes to keep Judy safe and happy."

"Then I have nothing to complain about." Stu held his paw out for the fox to shake and Nick didn't hesitate to take it.

As the males shook on it, Judy stared at Nick in wonder, a whole host of butterflies taking flight in her stomach. She had to remind herself that he was pretending, that this was all an act to fool her parents. But then he glanced at her, and what she saw in green eyes made her doubt.

As Nick and Stu's paw shake ended, Bonnie held her paw out to take. "Thank you for taking such good care of our Judy, Mr. Wilde."

Nick grabbed the offered paw and said, "It's my pleasure. And please, call me Nick."

"Alright, Nick, but then you have to call us Bonnie and Stu."

"Yes, ma'am," Nick acquiesced as he let go of her paw.

As much as to distract herself as anything, Judy stepped forward and asked, "So, what's your schedule?"

"Well, _first,_ " Stu grunted as he bent down and grabbed the crate and hefted it up. "We need to take these samples to that farmer's market. There'll be a little hagglin', but it won't be long. We have all day after that."

"Stu, I can carry that crate for you," Nick offered, holding out a paw.

"Naw, I got it. Wouldn't want to mess up that shiny shirt of yours, anyway."

"Well, then let me guide you. I know this city like the back of my paw."

"It's true," Judy endorsed. "He knows everybody, too."

"Well, that'd be mighty helpful, Nick. The fella on the phone said it was next to a club in Savannah Central."

"I'm afraid there's an awful lot of clubs in that area," Nick said.

"He actually said it was _naturalist_ club," Bonnie supplied helpfully. "Whatever that means."

Nick and Judy exchanged a glance, one that revealed the fox was thrilled with this development while the bunny dreaded it.

Judy turned to her parents and asked, "It was _The Mystic Springs Oasis,_ wasn't it?"

The elder Hopps beamed with recognition and Stu said, "That's the one!"

"Was the owner of this new farmer's market named _Yax,_ by any chance?" Nick eagerly asked.

Bonnie glanced from Nick to Judy and back again, perceiving two _very_ different reactions to the name. "Yes. It was."

Judy groaned while Nick clapped his paws together, grinning in delight. "I have to say: you folks are in for a _treat._ "

* * *

Nick was only too happy to introduce the Hopps' Clan heads to Yax and, after the initial shock of seeing the bare-in-the-buff yak wore off, business went surprisingly well.

Nick and Judy discovered that the Mystic Springs Oasis had been doing very well for itself and its eccentric owner, Yax, wanted to expand the business. Since the fly infested yak didn't like modern forms of transportation or communication, that meant buying a building within easy walking distance. But, there wasn't enough business in such a small area to support _two_ nudist clubs, so he decided to spread the "naturalist" message through wholesome, organic, non-GMO produce. The Hopps' Family Farm and its dedication to high quality, paw grown fruits and veggies fit the bill.

Yax' laid back nature, combined with the Hopps' straightforward honesty, not to mention Nick's business acumen, meant that an agreement that left all parties satisfied was quickly reached with very little actual bartering necessary.

The party of three rabbits and one fox left the currently empty farmers market a little before ten o'clock. Surprisingly, Stu was reading a pamphlet for the Mystic Springs Oasis, intrigued.

"Listen to this, Bon: 'Improve your life through natural living, built on community, healthy eating and exercise.' That yak might have been nuttier than a loony bin for squirrels, but I think he might have the right idea."

"That's interesting, dear," Bonnie said, clearly just humoring her mate.

Judy rolled her eyes from where she walked next to Nick a few steps behind her parents. "I swear, if my dad goes _natural…_ "

"What?" Nick grinned down at Judy's cross expression, clearly giddy over the thought. "What _will_ you do?"

Judy glared up at the fox, vexed by his amusement at her expense. "I'll blame _you._ "

" _Me?_ " Nick asked, placing a paw over his heart and blinking wide, innocent eyes at Judy in a bid to appear blameless, an act that fell flat since he was still grinning like a loon. "What did _I_ do?"

"You're _enjoying_ it, you jerk, instead of doing something about it!"

"I haven't seen _you_ do anything about it."

"That's not the point!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Well, you two certainly _argue_ like a couple." Bonnie's voice called. The pair snapped their gazes forward, surprised by the interruption. They found Bonnie and Stu looking back at them, both older rabbits smiling with the amusement only the elderly looking upon the foolishness of youth could achieve.

Rather than rise to the bait, Nick decided to change the subject. Without missing a beat, he smiled and said, "I bet it's not too often you two get away from the kits."

Bonnie and Stu exchanged glances before looking back at the fox. Bonnie slowly admitted, "That's true."

"Well, you're away from them now. Why not take the opportunity to do something fun?"

Stu looked cautious, not at all sure he would enjoy whatever was considered "fun" in the city. "Whadja have in mind?"

The fox clapped his paws together and beamed. "Did you two know that Zootopia has one of the greatest botanical gardens in the world?"

Stu's caution evaporated like snow in Sahara square before his love of all things green and growing. The buck's ears pricked forward to match the intensity of his eyes as he asked, "Really?"

"That's right," Nick confirmed, knowing that he had Stu hooked. Now, to get Bonnie. "We could go together. Like a double date."

It worked. Violet eyes the same shade as Judy's widened with intrigue. With her large, busy family, Bonnie knew it could be a _long_ time before she had another chance go on a real, actual date with the love of her life.

When Bonnie reached over and grabbed Stu's paw, Nick knew he had won. After all, if they had just gone to eat, they wouldn't have anything to talk about but each other's lives and the risk of Judy's lie being discovered would be enormous. Now, the only thing Judy's parents would talk about would be their passion: plants.

* * *

The party of four ventured to the outermost edge of the Rainforest District. There, they found Zootopia's sprawling Unity Gardens.

"Named that because the gardens were designed so that every Zootopia citizen could come and see plants from their natural habitat, whether that was the jungle, savannah, desert or even frozen tundra," Nick explained as they walked through the turnstiles after buying tickets.

As the group wandered along one of the paths, the fox flawlessly slipped into the role of tour guide, answering most questions about the history of the gardens, even if he didn't know much about the actual plants.

Stu was happy to fill the void. The buck babbled nonstop, rushing from plot to plot to examine the real life specimens of plants he had only ever read about before. He put the proverbial "kid in a candy store" to shame.

Bonnie held Stu's paw the entire time, not minding in the least being dragged behind her husband. The smile she wore as she looked upon him so lost in his passion was beatific.

Judy followed after her parents, watching them with new eyes. She had never seen her father _so excited_. It was a far cry from the soft spoken, cautious country farmer she knew. And her _mother._ Judy didn't think Bonnie had seen a single plant, since her gaze had never moved from her mate. The older doe's eyes showed forth a warmth that Judy had glimpsed all her life, but had never seen in such measure.

It was beautiful.

A gentle touch on Judy's back drew her from her reverie. Looking over, she found Nick standing next to her.

Smiling, Nick nodded his head in Stu's direction. "Your dad sure is excited."

Judy smiled gratefully. "He is. Thank you for bringing us here, Nick."

"Anything for you, Carrots." Before Judy could reply, Nick called out to her parents. "Hey, Stu! Wanna see the Vault?"

Stu looked up from the delicate yellow petals of _rudbeckia hirta_ he'd been studying. "Vault? What vault?"

"The Vault is where they keep all the _really_ rare stuff. Flowers and plants you'll never see anywhere else."

Stu's eyes sparkled as he answered. "I wanna see the Vault."

* * *

Instead of an open air garden, now they walked dimly lit hallways lined with what closely resemble aquariums, but instead of fish behind the glass, it was flowers and plants, each in its own carefully controlled environment.

Several other mammals wandered the halls, some alone, others in groups. Something in the air inspired reverence, so there was very little conversation, and the few words spoken were muttered in low tones.

The two couples wandered slowly down the halls, staying within stone's throw of each other but otherwise content to let the other do it's own thing.

As they moved from exhibit to exhibit, one particular flower caught Nick's eye. The five petals were each split at the base into two, long, narrow structures, rounded at the tips. They also happened to be a particular shade of violet, and there was a ring of tiny white petals around the stamen.

Nick's gaze slid down to his companion. Judy was bent forward at the waist, tiny white tail on display as she studied a different specimen, her long, narrow, rounded ears held high. As though she could sense his gaze, she turned her head to glance at him from over her shoulder. Violet eyes blinked curiously at him as her white tail twitched.

 _Gosh, it's like they made Judy into a flower. Or did they make a flower into Judy?_

Nick smiled and tilted his head. Judy smiled back, one ear folding in half as her head tilted to match. The two shared a companionable moment, then turned back to view the exhibits.

Nick's attention returned to the interesting flower. Leaning in, he began to read the accompanying plaque.

" _Campion (Silene tomentosa) This rare flower was once considered extinct, until a single living specimen was found high in the mountains, clinging to a barren outcropping of rock. Efforts to reintroduce…_ "

The plaque went on, but Nick was too busy rolling his eyes to read it.

 _Tough, stubborn and one-of-a-kind. This is the Judy Flower, alright._

Just about then, Bonnie wandered up, towing a crestfallen Stu behind her. Nick and Judy both turned to face her as she stepped up next to them.

"This has been wonderful, but our train is going to leave soon. Do you think we could find a place where we can all sit down and eat? We still need to talk."

Though he still smiled, Nick groaned internally.

 _So much for keeping them too distracted to chat._

From the subtle twitches rolling over Judy's face, she wasn't _groaning_ inside: she was _screaming._

"Sure, mom," Judy said, barely restrained distress coloring her voice. "Let's go."

As the doe began to lead her parents away, Nick paused. A strange impulse fell over him, and he looked back at the _Judy Flower._ Reading the plaque again, he deliberately burned the name into his memory.

 _Silene tomentosa._

Then the fox turned and hurried after the rabbits.

* * *

When it came to all the best places in Zootopia to escape prying eyes and have a quiet word, Nick was an expert. So sooner than he or Judy would have prefered, the party of four were seated in a comfy, cozy booth in a corner of a dimly lit restaurant.

As their middle aged ungulate waitress stepped away with their order, Bonnie folded her paws on the table, squared her shoulders, and set her gaze on her uneasy daughter.

Stu sat off to the side fiddling with his silverware. He knew when his wife wanted something, the best place to be was out of the way.

In the voice that was unique to mothers in that it sounded like a request but everyone hearing it knew it was anything but, Bonnie invited, "So, tell me everything."

Grabbing her glass, Judy took a long sip as a delaying tactic. Once the cup was nearly empty, she set it down, cleared her throat and began. "Well, it began a few weeks ago-"

The false history that Nick created flowed well enough: the feelings, the crabshack, the walk in the park, even the frilly pink dress. Nick had to nudge her once or twice to keep her story straight, but otherwise it went well.

"-and we've been going steady ever since," Judy finished. She smiled, confident that her parents would buy the story and everything would be fine.

"Okay. Now, that you're together, what are your plans for the future?"

...or not.

Judy froze as her brain locked up, having been so worried about her fake dating _past_ that she had completely failed to consider a fake dating _future_.

Seeing his partner's wide eyed, caught-in-the-headlights expression, Nick smoothly answered in her stead. "We've only just started dating, Missus Hopps. We don't exactly have all this figured out."

"I told you to call me Bonnie, dear. And I have a hard time believing that _my daughter_ , who started planning her career when she was nine years old, and a savvy business fox like yourself, Mister Wilde, have not once thought about their future together!"

Judy was on the verge of panic. Her mother was nobody's fool, and, just like a shark scenting blood, she was circling closer and closer to the truth.

Nick saw the fin closing in, too. But, unlike Judy, he had been swimming with sharks his entire adult life. He knew that they wouldn't stop until they got their pound of flesh. When your boat was sunk, the only way to save yourself was to sacrifice another.

The difference between then and now was that, this time, Nick would be giving himself as the sacrifice. So he tore a wound in his heart and jumped in the water.

"I have been thinking about a future with Judy since the first investigation," Nick said. Every rabbit turned to face him at this declaration. Gripping the edge of the table, the fox leaned toward Bonnie, locking his gaze with hers. "When she looked me in the eye and told me I could be a good cop. It was the first time since my mother died that another mammal told me I could be more than what I was."

Judy hadn't known that before. As she stared at her partner, her violet eyes were wide and she held a paw to her chest, a pose mirrored in her mother. Stu was blinking rapidly, a sure sign that the emotional buck was close to tears.

Nick leaned back so he was no longer crowding the table, but he kept his eyes on Bonnie's.

"The next day, she asked me to apply to the Academy and become her partner on the force. It was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard. Change my whole life just because a rabbit I knew for barely three days asked me to? I'd be an _idiot_ for trying…"

Nick trailed off, his gaze drifting down to where his paws were still gripping the table, his claws leaving little furrows in the cheap vinyl. He forced himself to let go, and instead placed his fists on the table. Shoulders hunched, he stared pensively down at his fisted paws. The three rabbits leaned in, enthralled by his tale and the emotion he showed telling it.

"But I signed the application anyway, because Judy put her faith in me. If I was her partner, it would be my job to keep her safe and everything I did would reflect on her. She was putting her life and her dream in my paws…"

As Nick trailed off again, his paws and expression relaxed, but it wasn't a good thing. As he stared blankly at the table, the rabbits all saw a fox that was just worn down.

"Except you can't trust something you're afraid of."

If the fox had stabbed her in the heart and twisted the blade, Judy did not think the hurt in her chest could have been worse. " _Nick,_ " she croaked, voice thick with emotion. Sliding closer to him, she reached over and pressed her paw into his upturned palm. Shame washed over her as she saw for the first time just how deeply she had hurt her friend.

Bonnie gasped as her chest twisted in sympathy as her feelings went out to the hurting fox sitting before her.

Tears began to roll over Stu's chubby cheeks.

"Even though I was angry and depressed, I never stopped thinking about the future I could have had," Nick admitted quietly. He turned his head slightly so he was speaking toward Judy, though he still couldn't raise his eyes and look at her. "I thought about what it would have been like to do something worthwhile with my life. To be trusted and maybe even liked. I worked up the nerve to talk to you a thousand times, Carrots, but whenever I picked up the phone, I couldn't bring myself to make the call. Then I heard you packed up and moved back home, just like I said you would, and the part of me that wanted to hope died all over again."

Before Judy could be swallowed up in the depths of despair, something happened. A small, genuine smile broke over Nick's face and he lifted his eyes to hers.

"And then, right out of the blue, you came running up, shouting gibberish about poison flowers." The fox shook his head in exasperation. "You were such a dumb bunny. I had to spell it out to you that you needed to apologize. But, you did. You said you were sorry and you meant it."

Judy looked down as she felt something. It was Nick's paw, his fingers finally closing around hers.

"From the second you fell into my arms I _knew_ I would always want to be in your life, even if it was only as a friend. But, I've always wanted more."

Judy looked up, violet eyes wide as she realized Nick was leaning towards her, their noses nearly brushing. The feeling of his warm breath brushing over her lips had Judy locked up in surprise.

"The truth is, I love you, Judy."

The space between them disappeared. Nick's mouth moved over Judy's in a single, chaste caress, just enough to let her feel how soft and warm his lips were.

When Nick pulled back, Judy just continued to stare up at him, filled with so many conflicting thoughts, sensations and emotions that she didn't have a clue on how to handle it all.

Still smiling, Nick turned to a very conflicted looking Bonnie, who had a bawling Stu's face pressed into her shoulder. "You see, Bonnie, I haven't talked with Judy about the future because, for first time in my life, I have everything I want. I have a job to do, mammals to help, and the love of my life. I've never been this happy, so I just want to enjoy it for a while. The future can wait."

Reaching up, Bonnie rubbed the back of Stu's head, comforting the emotional buck. "Alright. The future can wait. For now."

* * *

Standing side by side on the platform, Nick and Judy waved at the train as it glided away.

Nick was the first to let his arm drop. With a deep sigh, he let his shoulders droop and back slouch. When he he shoved his paws into his pants pockets, he once again looked like the old Nick Wilde, just with a nicer shirt.

Judy glanced over as the fox turned and began to shuffle off. Dropping her arm to her side, she adjusted her wide strapped purse over her shoulder and walked after him.

With how slowly he was moving, it wasn't a moment before she was walking along next to him.

"I guess it's time for our fake relationship to fake breakup," Nick snipped, eyes straight ahead.

Judy glanced up her companion, brow raised at the sharpness of his tone.

"...I guess so. Nick, about what you said at dinner-"

"Don't worry about it. It was just an act," interrupted the surly fox.

"It seemed pretty real to me!"

"Like I've never fooled you before."

With a hop and a twist, Judy stood before Nick, paws on her hips and foot thumping.

"Don't be such a dumb fox! You think I can't tell-"

Nick suddenly leaned into her personal space and shouted, "Hey!"

Thoroughly flummoxed, it was all Judy could do to blink up at Nick's too close face as her ears fell limp down her back.

"Did I just spend my day off helping you out of a jam _you_ made for yourself?" the fox asked hotly, ears pinned back and tail lashing.

Judy had to swallow before she could reply. "...yes?"

"That's a pretty big favor, right? Or wrong?"

"...right."

"Well, then." Nick straightened up so he was no longer crowding the bunny's face. He smiled down his nose at her, almost exactly like he had the day he had left her standing in wet cement. It hurt something in Judy's chest. "Here's how you can pay me back and it's _super_ easy." Nick's fraud of a smile disappeared, leaving behind an ugly glare. " _Leave. Me. Alone._ " The glare disappeared just as quickly, hidden again behind his fake smile. "Okay, Hopps?" he asked brightly.

Without waiting for a reply, Nick stepped around Judy and made a line for the main exit, his tail bushed out in a rare sign of agitation.

Judy was left standing there, staring after the suddenly strange fox. Something told her he was acting this way because he was hurt. Something else told her she was responsible.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter written by ADeadMissionary


	5. Confessions by Starfang's Secrets

Chapter Four: Confession

Since they didn't have consecutive days off, Nick and Judy were back on the beat the very next morning. With the tension of yesterday still lingering between them, their usual flow was hindered. This was obvious in the way Nick had gone straight to the bullpen with just a nod towards his partner, who had been chatting with Clawhauser while she waited for the fox. Both feline and lapine stared after Nick as he disappeared into the bullpen.

"Is everything alright, Judy?" Clawhauser asked in a low voice, his expression one of concern.

Turning to the normally bubbly cheetah, Judy forced a smile onto her face. "Everything great, Ben! Nick is just having an off day, I'm sure. Better go for roll call, anyways. See you later!"

"Later." Ben waved uncertainly, worried about his favorite couple—even if they weren't a couple. _'I hope everything's okay...'_

As Judy turned towards the bullpen, the smile faded from her face and was replaced with a worried frown. _'Did I…wait too long?'_ Hurt and confused by Nick's sudden change in demeanor the day before, the doe had decided against reaching out to him, giving the fox what he had asked of her; alone time. Now she was regretting the decision, fearing that it had caused a rift between them.

 _'Again.'_ She thought despondently as she entered the bullpen. Nick didn't even look up, his gaze focused on his phone. Steeling herself, Judy went and took her seat next to her partner, an awkwardness that had never been there before taking a hold of her.

"Hi." Came the nervous greeting from Judy as she fidgeted in her seat. She had angled herself so she was facing Nick a bit, but the fox didn't move. He merely glanced at her from his peripheral and nodded, before turning back to his phone.

"Hey."

The bland reply gave Judy mixed feelings; it was better than the wordless nod he had given her earlier, but it still fell far short of what she had hoped for. Before more could be said, Bogo walked in and their day began.

~o.8.o~

As the two got into their cruiser to begin their patrol around the east side of Savannah Central, Nick couldn't bring himself to look at Judy.

He had been a complete ass the day before, and he knew it.

 _'It's not like I meant to snap at her…'_ He thought miserably as he gazed out the window on the passenger side. The vulnerability he had felt after such a confession, combined with the frustration that it was done under an act and the painful reality that it wasn't reciprocated, had been too much for Nick to handle, and he had latched onto the one emotion he was most familiar with; anger. He had let it fill him until he couldn't even tolerate to be near Judy, her closeness almost painful. So, he'd snapped, lashed out, and pushed her away.

It had been the press conference all over again.

It wasn't until he had gotten home, his fur still puffed out in agitation, that Nick finally was able to calm. Only then did he realize the mistake he had made. He had known going in that this would be one of the consequences of their little act. Yet, he had willingly agreed to it.

 _'Because I'd be with her.'_

Gritting his teeth as he dodged another attempt from Judy to start a conversation, the guilt and self-loathing swallowed him again.

The rest of their shift continued in the same fashion; Judy would try to end the stifling silence between them with small talk, only to have Nick turn down every attempt with one-word answers or indifferent hums. Lunch was spent apart, the fox choosing to spend his thirty minutes walking around, while Judy ate her food alone in the cruiser.

By the end of the shift, Judy had had enough. She was hurt, confused, and guilt-ridden, but it was all overshadowed by her anger over Nick's unwillingness to help her bridge the gap between them.

As she parked the cruiser in the garage, Judy was up and out of the door just as the car turned off. Nick barely had any time to get out of the car before his way was blocked by a furious doe.

"We need to talk." Came the stern demand. Arms crossed, ears erect, and foot thumping a mile a minute; Judy Hopps was the image of an angry bunny.

Swallowing thickly, Nick averted his gaze. "Can't this wait, Carrots?"

Unbeknownst to him, her countenance softened at the familiar nickname, but her tone held its firmness when she spoke. "No, it can't, Nick." There was a pause, and then in a softer tone, "I want things to go back to how they were before."

Her softly spoken words caused Nick's heart to clench painfully. _'How things were before…'_ The tod let out a long sigh. "Yeah." He nodded, as he briefly met Judy's gaze. "We can talk. Just...not here." His eyes wandered to a few of the coworkers that walked by them.

Following his gaze, Judy noticed that they weren't alone, and that a few were sending them curious looks. "Okay," she turned back to Nick, "how about the smaller section at the ZPD Gym? We're the only ones that use it, and it's pretty secluded." She didn't want this to drag on any longer, and she feared that if they went to either of their apartments, the chance to talk would escape them.

Nick frowned at the still rather public place, but, judging by Judy's set expression, he knew that he wouldn't be able to wiggle out of this. He gave in with a sigh. "Alright. In an hour."

Taking in Nick's reluctant disposition, Judy decided to allow this small delay and nodded in agreement. "In an hour."

~o.8.o~

Judy tried not to fidget too much as she waited for Nick to arrive. The hour spent apart had allowed her anger to fade, leaving behind only uneasy concern. Currently dressed in a black tank top and purple leggings, she was situated on one of the benches inside the gym. She was the only one in this section, as it was built for smaller animals, and she and Nick were the only ones that ever really used it.

It was secluded enough for the conversation she planned on having with her partner.

Judy had it all planned out. They would spar, hopefully bringing the focus away from their current issues and towards the now. Then, when he was a bit winded and a bit calmer, she would then confront him about the 'act' with her parents, and his reaction to her questions about it. The doe was certain there was more to it than just acting; that what Nick had said at the restaurant had _had_ to have some merit of truth.

 _'And that kiss…'_ The blush that swept through her at the memory of lips brushing against her own was something that she had never experienced before. It had made her realize something about herself; something about them.

The sound of the doors for the small mammal section opening caused Judy to turn to the source, and her mouth went dry at the entrance of Nick Wilde. The fox was dressed in a light gray, almost white tank top, and forest green gym shorts that had a dark gray vertical line going down the sides of his legs. Hefting his duffle bag over his left shoulder, Nick paused as their eyes met across the room.

The urge to say something was so strong, the words nearly forced themselves out of Judy's mouth, but the doe managed to clamp down on the impulse. Taking a deep breath to steady herself as Nick made his way over, she managed to scrounge up the will to smile.

"Hey, Nick." She greeted with a small wave.

"Hey, Carrots." Nick returned with a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. In the next second, the smile was replaced with a frown. "Listen—" He cut himself off when Judy raised a paw to stop him.

She gave him a tentative smile. "Let's spar first, and then talk?"

Ears pinned back in dismay as Nick saw the damage his lost of control had done. Judy would have never been so hesitant prior to the incident. Feeling terrible, the fox acquiesced as he set his duffle bag down beside her own.

Once they were in their usual sparring gear, which comprised of just protective headgear, the fox and bunny duo made their way to the mats. Stances ready and facing off against her, Nick tried again to talk.

"Judy." He began, letting her know he was serious. It killed any protest the doe may have made, and he took advantage of that. "I'm sorry." He relaxed his stance and made sure to keep is gaze locked on her. "For yesterday. It wasn't you I was mad at. I was just...bitter."

Relaxing her own stance, Judy gazed at Nick with concern. "Bitter?" When all Nick offered was a wordless nod, she gently pressed, "About what?"

"Ah, hah." Nick gave a nervous chuckle as he glanced away from Judy, a paw coming up to scratch lightly at his cheek. "That's a funny question."

"Is it about what you said at the restaurant?" She prodded gently, and continued when the fox looked away. "Because I _know_ you, Nick. I can tell when you're acting and when you're being genuine." Taking a deep breath, Judy took off her headgear, as it became apparent that they wouldn't be sparring. Looking back at Nick, her words came out in a whisper. "You weren't acting back at the restaurant."

A strained bark of laughter left his maw, and Nick took off his headgear so he could run a paw through the fur atop his head. "Nothing gets past you, huh, Carrots?" His ears and cheeks heated up at the small confession, and he couldn't bring himself to look at the mammal that meant the world to him.

"Why did you agree to help me?" Judy asked. Not liking the distance between them, she started to approach Nick. "Why agree to play pretend?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nick asked as he finally turned to her. The warmth and love in his eyes made her pause in her approach and her heart skip; the sorrow and longing within them breaking it. "I would do anything for you, Judy. The fact that I got to live my dream for a day was a bonus." His gaze lowered a bit as his eyes dimmed slightly. "I guess I just wasn't ready for the dream to end."

"Nick…" Judy whispered softly, and closed the distance between them.

Before her paw could reach him, Nick came to a decision. Yesterday, he had been given a glimpse into what it could be like with Judy. It didn't change the dynamics of their relationship much, but what did change; that bit of intimacy that a platonic relationship could never have, was a taste he wanted more of. He hadn't been lying when he said he wasn't ready for the dream to end. He never wanted it to end.

He wasn't going to give up.

Mind made up, Nick dropped his gear to the matts below and quickly framed Judy's face with both of his paws. Startled, Judy's paws came up to lightly grip his wrists, surprised amethyst flicking up to stare into intense emeralds.

"Judy." Nick began, the words flowing from him in a rush before he lost his nerve. "I don't have much to offer, being a fox, but if you'll have me, I'll spend the rest of my life proving to you that this isn't a mistake. That we're made for each other, and that I love you with every part of my being." He paused when she let out a watery chuckle, surprised to see her eyes becoming glassy.

"Dumb fox." Judy said fondly. "Can't you see I don't want it to end, either?" She wiped at her eyes with one paw, before taking hold of his wrists once more. "I'm embarrassed and sorry that it took me hurting you in order for me to realize your feelings...to realize my own feelings, but…" She smiled up at Nick as a blush settled upon her cheeks. "I love you, too, Nick. Have for a while, I think. I was just too much of a dumb bunny to see it until now."

Delight, embarrassment, happiness, love, and a whole slew of other emotions welled up within Nick at her words, a blush settling upon his own cheeks and ears as he leaned down to gently bump his nose against hers. It caused her ears to pop up in surprise, before they fell limply against her back. Eyes meeting just before they fell shut, Nick gently guided her head upward as he angled his muzzle down, their noses still pressed together as their lips touched.

It was more than just a brush of lips like the day before, and so much better because of it. It started off chaste, curious even, as they shared their first _real_ kiss. The moment seemed to last forever, but it ended too soon as Nick pulled back, leaving Judy wanting as her grip on his arms tightened in protest. Their intent changed to bringing him in closer as the fox pressed his lips against hers once more, firmer this time, and with a passion that left them both breathless.

When this second kiss came to an end, Nick and Judy were panting gently, their eyes still closed as they savored the experience. Nick was the first to open his eyes, and he couldn't stop the purr that rumbled in his throat at the look of contentment on Judy's face. The sound caused her to open her eyes, and the look in them as they gazed up at him caused his heart to clench with a giddy feeling.

Pressing his forehead against Judy's, Nick didn't hold back the content smile from stretching across his face.

His dream had become something more.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter written by Starfang's Secrets.


	6. Memories by ADM and Star

Chapter Five: Memories

In the life Nick and Judy would share together, there would be points in time that would mark certain radical shifts for the better, whether the improvement was personal, professional, or even domestic. These moments would come to be some of their most precious memories.

* * *

A week after their first kiss, Nick took Judy to Jerry's Crabshack for their first date, just like they had told Judy's parents.

It started out well enough. They had agreed on casual wear, so they both wore jeans and plaid button ups. When they met. Nick complemented Judy on how good she looked in her jeans and Judy complimented him on the same. They walked to the restaurant paw in paw. When they got there, Nick pulled out Judy's chair for her like a gentlefox and, after he seated himself, they gave the otter waitress with a pretty smile their drink order. As they perused the menu, Nick gave some helpful tips on some items Judy might enjoy and Judy thanked him.

Then it was quiet.

The quiet persisted until the waitress returned for their orders, then it returned as soon as she left. As the silence stretched on, the two mammals began to fidget. Judy began tearing squares off her napkin, while Nick began to read through the little drinks/desserts booklet.

After reading about the _Cherries Bonanza!_ for the third time, the fox had had enough.

Judy jumped in surprise when Nick threw the book on the table, then watched as he slapped a paw to his forehead and pushed it back over his ears.

"Why is this so weird?!" the fox demanded of no one in particular.

"I know, right?!" Judy answered back eagerly, glad for the awkward silence to be over.

Nick put his elbows on the table and leaned forward, paws gesticulating wildly. "I mean, we talk all the time! At work, in the cruiser, during movie night. Bogo has to threaten our jobs _at least_ twice a week to get us to shut up."

A flash of insight struck and Judy blurted, "Maybe it's _because_ we're on a date?"

Nick froze, paws still in the air. Then, his head tilted curiously. "Why would that matter?" he asked, sounding like he genuinely wanted to know.

"Well…" Judy began slowly, tapping her chin thoughtfully as she worked out how to explain. "Dates are supposed to be about getting to know someone, but what is there that we don't know about each other?"

"...huh." Nick's eyes blinked as he processed the idea, then narrowed as he realized Judy was right. What was there to talk about that they hadn't already talked about? He dropped his paws and folded his arms over the table as he considered. It only took a few seconds to work out a solution. "Why don't we talk about what we always talk about?"

"What? Work? Do you really want to talk about work?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

Judy's eyes rolled upward as she thought about it, then back to Nick. She shrugged. "I guess not. So..."

"So…oh!" Nick snapped his fingers. "You heard about how Fangmeyer got body checked through a storefront window last week?"

"Of course, everyone heard."

Nick leaned in, eyes circling the room for eavesdroppers. "Well, don't tell anyone, but a certain fox _may_ have found the traffic cam footage," he whispered conspiratorially. His paw disappeared below the table and reappeared holding his smart phone. "—and downloaded it."

Now Judy leaned in, using both paws and practically crawling on the table to get close enough to Nick to whisper without being overheard. " _Nick!_ " she hissed harshly. "You're not supposed to download footage without _express consent_ from the _Chief_!"

The fox shot her a flat-eyed stare, the effect magnified now that they were only a few inches apart. "Do you want to see it or not?"

Judy dragged a paw down her face while letting out an aggravated sigh. "Of all the stupid, irresponsible...yes."

"That's what I thought," Nick said with a smug smile as he placed the phone down between them.

* * *

Six months later, Judy got her first promotion.

"Hopps, you have met and surpassed every qualification asked of you by the Zootopia Police Department," Bogo grumbled during morning announcements. Then he smiled, genuine warmth dancing in his brown eyes. "Congratulations, Detective."

The room erupted into raucous cheering. Judy was lost in a sea of well wishes and oversized pats on the back.

Bogo let his officers get the worst of it out of their systems, watching with fondness as they all expressed respect and admiration for a mammal that they had once barely acknowledged. It was a proud moment.

But, life could only wait so long.

"Alright, alright! _Shut it!_ " Bogo shouted over the noise. The officers reluctantly took their places, leaving Judy in her seat, beaming through her mussed fur. Beside her, Nick smiled smugly, like his partner was simply getting what she was supposed to have all along.

Once the room was under control, Bogo placed his reading glasses on his snout and prepared to read the docket. Something occurred to him, and he glanced up at Judy. "Hopps. Come to my office after announcements." His eyes flicked to Nick. "You too, Wilde."

Ten minutes later found Judy and Nick standing in relaxed attention before Bogo's desk, with the cape buffalo himself sitting in his chair.

"Well, you're a detective now," Bogo grunted. "Don't let it go to your head. You still have a long way to go."

"Yes, Chief. I know," Judy said, looking serious.

"You continue to be the most inspiring mammal I know, sir," Nick quipped.

"Shut it, Wilde," Bogo said, voice mild

Judy and Nick shared a glance over their hot headed boss' unusual lack of volume.

Spotting their silent communication, Bogo sighed. No point in dragging this out. "Hopps, Wilde. I have to split you up."

When Judy and Nick both snapped in his direction, Bogo held up a hoof to stall any comments. "Hopps, as a rookie detective, has to spend time studying under a more seasoned officer and Wilde won't meet the mandatory minimum time as a patrol officer before he can become a detective for another year."

Bogo expected loud denials, or quiet begging, or _something._ When all he saw was acceptance on their faces, he grew suspicious.

"Yes, Chief. We know," Judy said. "We did the homework. We know the procedure."

Bogo didn't become Chief of Police by being anyone's fool. Glancing from the rabbit to the fox, he didn't see two mammals _resigned_ to anything. They were _prepared._

"But, you have a way around that," Bogo spoke with authority. It wasn't a guess.

"You know us too well, Chief. Ow," Nick muttered mildly as Judy punched him in the arm.

"Yes, sir," Judy said as though she hadn't just struck her partner in front of her boss.

Bogo ignored it, too. "Well?"

"Sir, there is no mandatory minimum when it comes to a new detective's probation period. It ends the second someone in the chain of command above them signs off on it."

"That is correct," Bogo conceded.

"And an officer may be assigned to a detective for on the job training, which can supersede the mandatory two years as a patrol cop."

Bogo put the pieces together immediately. He stabbed a hoofed finger at Judy. "You, Hopps, want me to write off your probation the very _hour_ it begins, and assign Wilde to you as a detective trainee," he rumbled. "Even with the knowledge that two of you are romantically involved?"

For her part, Judy stood straight and proud, unafraid of the impending storm before her. "Yes sir, Chief Bogo."

The two small officers didn't _quite_ suppress their flinches as Bogo slammed his hoof on his desk. "Just because you uncovered the most insidious conspiracy in Zootopia's history and brought the perpetrators to justice _does not_ mean you will receive _endless_ favor from this office!" he scolded.

Judy and Nick glanced at each other again, real fear that they were going to be separated flashing over their faces.

"There's a _limit,_ " Bogo continued, drawing the duo's attention back. "I can do this," the bull huffed, causing Nick and Judy to stare at him in confusion. "But it will use up a _great deal_ of my favor. Enough to slow down what otherwise might be a meteoric rise through the ranks." He leaned forward, staring Judy in the eye with utmost gravity. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Hopps?"

Judy sucked in a steadying breath. "Sir, I understand. I don't care how long it takes to go the distance, as long as Wilde is with me every step of the way."

Bogo grunted, knowing that trying to convince the stubborn rabbit to do otherwise would be futile. But, this dance required three. Intense brown eyes shifted to Nick. "Wilde, you're willing to let your partner go through with this?"

Nick grinned, back to his smug self now that victory was so close. "You know how Carrots is, Chief. She gets what she wants. 'Sides, who better to watch a rabbit's back than a fox?"

"I wonder," the one ton Chief of police grunted.

Bogo glanced between his two smallest officers, searching for any sign of doubt or hesitation. Seeing none, he gave in.

"Fine." Bogo snorted as he leaned back in his chair. "I'll be watching you. No favoritism. No allowances. _One_ screw up—Just _one!_ —and I won't just assign you to different partners, I'll make sure the only time you spend together at work will be on Parking Duty. Am I _clear?_ "

"Yes, sir!" Nick and Judy answered as one.

Bogo huffed. "Go straight to Mammal Resources. They'll get you sorted. Get out of my office before I change my mind."

Judy and Nick turned and hurried out of the office as fast as dignity would allow, knowing that Bogo didn't make empty threats.

* * *

Three months after Judy became a detective, she was handed another missing mammal case. According to Maria Prata, her husband of less than three months, Diego Prata, a twenty three year old chinchilla, had gone out drinking with his friends in Tundra Town and hadn't come back. That had been two days ago.

A quick review of Diego's file showed no reason to suspect foul play. By all accounts he was a straight-laced accountant fresh out of college that had never done anyone any harm.

The first order of business was calling all of Diego's friends. Every one of them said that Diego had been fine when they split up at the end of the night and they had seen him walking away unmolested down the path to his apartment, a story corroborated by the waitress that had been serving them at the bar in Tundra Town.

Since there were no witnesses, they checked the cameras. They managed to track the little chinchilla for four blocks. Then he walked into a blind spot and did not reappear.

Nick and Judy drove to Tundra Town to check the area between cameras for clues.

Instead, they found Diego, curled up in an alley in front of a vent, looking for all the world like he was asleep. Nick had to hold back a frantic Judy from trying to resuscitate the long dead rodent, then held her as she cried.

While Judy moistened his shirt, Nick called in the find. An ambulance and several patrol officers arrived in minutes.

Once Judy pulled herself together, she insisted on finishing the case and finding out what happened.

It took less than hour. The vent belonged to the stove of a nearby restaurant. Diego had been cutting through the alley when he felt the heat coming from the vent. He stopped to warm himself up and fell asleep. When the restaurant closed, the stove was turned off, and the heat stopped. Within minutes, Diego Prata was frozen to death.

Now, Nick and Judy stood outside of Diego Prata's apartment, where his young wife, Maria, lived.

Nick put his paw on Judy's shoulder. "You don't have to do this."

Judy stepped out from under Nick's paw and looked up at him, face set with determination. "Yes. I do."

Then the bunny cop turned and knocked on the door before she could lose her nerve. Nick, knowing there would be no changing her mind, took a few steps away, allowing Judy to face what was coming on her own two feet.

The door cracked open, allowing a brown eye surrounded by dark gray fur to peek through. It widened as it landed on Judy. "Detective Hopps!"

The door was thrown open to reveal Maria Prata. Judging from her wrinkled dress, mussed fur and the bags under her eyes, she hadn't been coping well with her husband's disappearance.

The chinchilla female, only slightly shorter than Judy, stepped forward and grabbed Judy by the arms.

"Detective Hopps!" Maria cried, voice steeped in desperation. "Have you found him?! Have you found my Diego?!"

All the strength Judy had been gathering evaporated; nothing before the sheer weight of the chinchilla's fear for her missing husband.

Judy went to say something, but words couldn't escape past the lump in her throat. Swallowing thickly, she tried to force the words out, the ones she knew she was supposed to say. _Mrs. Prata, it's my duty to inform you…_

But that's not what came out.

"I'm so sorry."

The whisper seemed to echo about the hallway, filling it with an inescapable dread. Maria's eyes widened as she rocked back, thunderstruck. When her knees gave out, Judy only just managed to catch the chinchilla by her arms and lowered her gently to the floor.

After a moment, Maria seemed to come back to herself. Her face twisted in anguish and she cried, "No! Diego! My Diego! _No!_ "

Judy couldn't ever ignore someone who was hurting so badly. Kneeling before Maria, she put her arms around the distraught female and gathered her into a comforting embrace. Maria pressed her face into Judy's chest, Judy pressed her face into the soft fur between Maria's ears, and the two wept together.

Nick silently stepped up next to them. Stooping down, he placed one paw on Judy's back, quietly lending her all the strength he could.

* * *

One year after their first kiss, Nick proposed.

Judy was surprised when, seemingly out of the blue, Nick asked her to come with him on one of their increasingly rare personal days.

"Nick, where are we going?" Judy asked as they walked down the street, paw-in-paw.

"Now, Carrots. It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you," Nick replied, smug.

" _Niiick,_ " Judy whined, tugging at their joined paws.

Nick waggled his eyebrows at Judy as his only response. Ears falling back, the doe huffed, thumped her head against the todd's arm and pouted. It just made Nick smile wider.

 _She's so cute when she's mad,_ Nick thought to himself, since he daren't say the _c-word_ aloud.

Judy's pout melted away as they turned down a familiar back road. Ears springing up, she raised her head off Nick's arm so she could look up at his face

"Are we going to the bridge?"

When Nick would only smile mysteriously, Judy scoffed. "Fine. Keep your secrets."

Judy's annoyance didn't last long. The afternoon sun was warm and Nick's paw was big, strong and gentle around hers. As they walked along the increasingly barren path, Judy felt herself growing more and more relaxed until finally, she rested her head against Nick's arm. Closing her eyes, she let her partner guide her along while she enjoyed the walk.

"We're here," Nick announced some time later, pulling Judy from her pleasant haze. When the doe opened her eyes, the sight before her made her gasp.

It was the stone bridge where they had reunited after the Press Conference Debacle. But, now, the whole scene was changed. Dozens of string lights hung from the side of the bridge, hiding the nook beneath behind a curtain of a thousand, softly colored lights.

"It's so _pretty,_ " Judy breathed out, in awe of the spectacle before her.

"You like it?" Nick asked, smiling smugly down at her. Though he _looked_ confident, Judy had spent enough time with the fox to know when he was seeking her approval.

Judy beamed a bucktoothed, megawatt smile up at her partner. "I _love_ it!" she gushed.

"I knew you would," Nick said, chest puffing out. Judy just kept smiling, amused by her fox's quirks. "Come on. There's more."

The fox led them toward the curtain, then through it. Another curtain of lights hung from the other side of the bridge and dozens more strings of lights hung from the bricks arching overhead, illuminating the space beneath in a soft, prismatic glow.

Dazzled, Judy stepped away from Nick to wander among the forest of brightly colored bulbs. She reached out a paw, to touch one of the strings. "You've been with me all day. How did you do this?" she asked as she watched a dozen different hues of light play over her arm.

"I'm a well connected fox, I'll have you know," Nick bragged. The fox stood in the center of the space, his paws in his pockets. He was content to watch Judy as she enjoyed his surprise.

"You hired a light installation firm," Judy guessed as she walked along one of the curtains separating them from the outside world. She trailed a paw behind her, disturbing the strands and setting the lights swaying. It was enchanting.

"You know, it was a lot easier to impress you _before_ you became a detective," Nick quipped, smiling good-naturedly at being figured out so easily.

Judy smiled at Nick from over her shoulder. "It just means you have to work harder. You do your best work that way." The smile dimmed as her sharp analytical mind inferred something else. "Nick, this couldn't have been cheap. How did you afford this?"

Nick shrugged carelessly. He didn't see a point in hiding it from her, knowing that the tenacious bunny would find out eventually. "I may have dipped into my savings."

Frowning now, Judy turned to face the fox fully. "Nick, you shouldn't spend your savings on things like this. What if something happens? You might really need that money." As she spoke, she walked towards Nick until she stood before him, paws planted on her hips.

"It was worth it. Tonight is special, after all. It needs to be memorable," Nick explained, unperturbed by the doe's scolding.

Judy tilted her head curiously, one ear folding in half. A quick mental review revealed the most likely answer. "Ugh. Our anniversary is _next week,_ dumb fox." Even as she rolled her eyes and insulted him, her voice remained fond, touched that he would go to such efforts to celebrate their first year together.

"Well, the anniversary of our first date is next week, yes, but it's not the anniversary of the first time I told I loved you, is it? No, that's _today,_ Fluff," Nick said as he took one paw out of his pocket. He circled it around her slim waist and pulled her into a hug.

Touched by the romantic gesture, Judy gave herself completely to Nick's embrace, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his chest.

"I love you, Nick. And I love that you'd do something like this, but let's try not to have an anniversary for _every_ first thing. We can't afford it."

"We could have just the two," Nick proposed as he fondly caressed Judy's ears. He grinned at her pleased murmur. "This one and the one next week. That way, if I screw up the first one, I can make it up to you on the next and you'll only be mad at me for a few days."

Judy chuckled at her fox's pragmatic approach. "That sounds like a good idea."

Nick tapped Judy's head, prompting her to look up at him. When he had her attention, he asked, "Does that mean all the important stuff can only happen on two days of the year?"

Judy plopped her chin on his chest. "I think so," she teased with a smile.

The fox tilted his head thoughtfully, one ear straight up and the other back. "I guess that means I have to make them count."

"You better—oh!" Judy was forced to break her embrace when Nick suddenly kneeled. The fox used his free paw, the one that wasn't in his trousers' pocket, to gather both of Judy's.

Nick's usual laid back expression melted away and, when he spoke, it was without the humor he always used to separate himself from the world. "Judy, there's a reason I brought you out here."

If Nick's serious demeanor didn't grab Judy's attention before, the use of her name certainly did.

Nick continued. "You see, all of _this_ —" he rolled his gaze around, indicating their surroundings, "is a metaphor."

That hadn't been what Judy was expecting. Her brow pinched as she parroted, "Metaphor?"

"That's right, a metaphor. For my life."

Judy looked around, even more confused than before. When she looked back to Nick, she didn't say anything, but the question was clear in her expression.

"Before you found me, this place was a lot like my life. It wasn't bad, but it was dark and lonely. Then, I met you."

Nick smiled, the sparkle in his eyes enhanced by the reflections of a hundred tiny, shining bulbs. "The day you came back, it made my life brighter, just like if someone hung one of these lights. Every day spent with you since, it's felt like another light was put up. Now, _this_ —" he let go of Judy's paws so he could hold his arm out, indicating their cheerfully lit surroundings, "—is what my life is like. Bright. Happy. And it's all because of you."

When Nick went to take her paw again, Judy grabbed his paw with both of hers and brought it to her chest. Sparkling violet eyes grew moist as Nick's heartfelt words moved her to tears.

" _Nick, I-I_ —" Judy tried to speak through the tears, only to give up when Nick gently shushed her by lifting his paw from her chest to touch a finger to her lips.

"Hang on. I have one more thing I need to say, okay?"

When Judy gave a shaky nod, Nick moved his paw to cup her cheek. The fox felt his heart melt when the doe nuzzled his palm and looked up at him with glittering, adoring eyes.

"Judy, you're the light of my life and I want you with me, always." The paw that Nick had been hiding in his pocket finally came out, drawing Judy's attention down. She gasped when she saw it held a little black velvet box. With a flick of a thumb, it popped open, revealing a modest gold ring. The single diamond, embedded in the band as a practical concession to their often physical line of work, sparkled with the hundreds of colored lights.

"Judith Laverne Hopps, will you marry me?"

Nick barely kept hold of the ring box, not to mention his balance, as a little furry missile crashed into his chest. Judy threw both arms around her wonderful fox's neck and shouted through her happy tears.

" _Yes!_ "

~o.8.o~

Less than two months after their engagement was announced, Nicholas Piberius Wilde and Judith Laverne Hopps were bound in holy matrimony amongst friends and family. A joyous occasion indeed, one the newlyweds, whose thoughts were only of each other, were eager to get away from. They slipped away at the first opportunity.

A fox with arms full of giggling bunny, Mr. Nick Wilde carried Mrs. Judy Wilde into what was now _their_ apartment. They would be leaving for their honeymoon destination in Furance in two days, which gave them some time before then for some relaxation and other... activities.

"What are you laughing about?" Nick asked as he made his way to _their_ bedroom. His heart skipped a beat at the thought.

"I'm just so...so happy." Judy sighed, only to giggle softly once more. She had her arms around Nick's neck, her face pressed into the thick, warm ruff.

Nick tightened his grip on her as he pushed the door open, having planned ahead on how he would take her to their room. "Me, too, Carrots."

A serene silence settled over them as Nick set Judy on their bed. The lights were off, but the moonlight streaming in through the curtains and his night vision combined together to show him a vision that took him years back in the past—to when everything he had now was only a dream.

Small paws tugging gently at his tuxedo jacket had Nick snapping back to reality, and the fox eagerly followed their silent request. Waist cradled between her thighs, the fox nuzzled the side of Judy's neck as he kept most of his weight off her with his forearms.

"I love you, Nick." Judy whispered as her fox began to kiss and nibble along her neck. She felt his weight settle more firmly against her at her words, and tightened her grip around his neck to bring him closer.

Pulling back to gaze down at her, darkened emeralds shimmered in the moonlight, allowing the doe to see the heated gaze she felt upon her. Leaning in, Nick brushed his lips against hers in a gentle caress, gaze locked on hers. "I love you, Judy."

The first touch of lips was chaste in design; a reconfirmation of the tender feelings they felt for one another. The second, third, and fourth kisses became more and more passionate, their desire for one another increasing with each meeting of lips, until the end of one kiss could not be distinguished from the start of the next.

"Judy…" Nick let out in a shaky whisper as the doe began to squirm beneath him, her hips grinding against his own in the most pleasant of ways.

"Nick, please." Judy begged, leaving urgent kisses along the underside of the fox's muzzle. She had never felt such a fire ignited within, not even when they had fooled around a bit before today. There was just something about the fact that he belonged to _her_...that she belonged to _him_...that filled the doe with a need that could only be satisfied by her husband.

Growling softly, Nick made quick work of Judy's dress, barely having the presence of mind to _not_ rip the damn thing right off of her. Passed down or not, it was getting in his way of supple flesh and soft fur. Judy was of a similar mind in regards to Nick's clothing, and soon, the two were bare before their beloved.

Paws explored and learned, their voices and cries of pleasure mingling as their passion grew. Bodies writhed in ecstasy. Gazes locked, baring their desire and love to the other.

Their wedding night had begun.

~o.8.o~

Six months later, Nick was roused from slumber by the sound of retching. Still half asleep, he rolled out of bed and staggered his way to the bathroom, where he found Judy bent over the toilet. Stumbling in, the fox fell to his knees behind his ailing mate and gathered her ears behind her head so she wouldn't get last night's dinner on them.

"You still sick, babe?"

Judy gasped as another painful cramp rolled through her abdomen, feeling like she'd been punched in the gut. She retched again, but at that point she had nothing left to expel.

Nick wrapped his free arm, the one not holding her ears, around Judy's slim torso, careful to not put any pressure on her stomach. "I'll call Bogo and let him know we're not coming in."

Judy coughed and wiped her mouth with the back of her paw. " _We?_ Why aren't you going?"

"Because I'm taking you to the doctor."

Judy settled back into her husband's embrace, relieved the worst had passed. "It's just a stomach bug. I don't need a doctor."

Nick let go of Judy's ears so he could wrap his other arm around her. He settled back until he was sitting on the tiled floor, dragging Judy down into his lap. He buried his nose between her ears and spoke into her fur. "It's been three days. You need a doctor."

Being sick wasn't doing Judy's mood any good. "I don't _want_ to go," she insisted mulishly.

"You're _going_ ," Nick said, steel in his voice.

Judy sighed in defeat. She knew what the doctor would say. She'd come from a big rabbit family. The signs were obvious. She had been putting off telling Nick for as long as she could because she was unsure of his reaction.

"Nick, there's no point going to the doctor. I know what's wrong with me."

"So do I."

Judy's smile was full of challenge. "Oh, yeah?"

"You're pregnant, dumb bunny."

Judy's smile turned into open mouthed shock. Twisting about in Nick's grip, she looked up into his downturned face so they were nose to nose. "How?"

 _Because Judy had been moody for the last few days, and had nearly puked in the street when they had walked near a fish market, something that had never bothered her before. Now, paired with what was almost certainly morning sickness, and Nick was certain he knew what was making his wife sick, and it wasn't a stomach bug._

Since they were already so close, Nick bumped his nose against Judy's. "Don't forget who the sly fox is in this relationship. Of course I know my wife is pregnant."

"Oh… Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, because _you_ didn't say anything. I thought, maybe, you know…" Nick trailed off and looked away, looking uncertain and more than just a little afraid, "that you didn't want the pregnancy, and I didn't know how to handle that. If I _could_ handle that."

Judy smiled and shook her head, in silent awe of her own foolishness. Here she was, worried that Nick wouldn't be happy with her pregnancy, all the while Nick was scared to death that _she_ didn't want it.

"Oh, Sweetheart," Judy said. Reaching up, she grabbed Nick's furry cheeks and guided his gaze back to hers. Judy smiled, pouring all the loving reassurance she could into the gesture. "I want these babies more than anything in the world."

A small, hopeful smile broke over Nick's muzzle. "Really?"

"Really really."

Nick's tail began to wag, thumping against the wall, and his smile grew larger. "Carrots, you're going to be a mommy."

"And you're going to be a daddy!" Judy cried jubilantly. She threw her arms around Nick's neck and buried her face into his ruff.

Nick clutched her tight, tears of joy gathering at the corners of his eyes. His voice was a reverent whisper as he said, "We're going to have a _family._ "

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter written by ADeadMissionary and Starfang's Secrets.


	7. Our Future by Starfang's Secrets

Epilogue: Our Future

 _Seven Years Later_

Judy let out a sigh of relief as she came into the warmth of her home, the door shutting out the cold outside. It had been a long evening shift at the ZPD, and she and Wolford had been on their feet the entire time.

After the kits had been born, Nick and Judy could no longer be partners; it just wasn't practical, as someone had to be with their kits at all times. With their limited options in babysitters, and not trusting a complete stranger with their unique kits, it was the only way to go. So, Judy was partnered with Wolford, and Nick was with Wolfsbane. The tod had complained initially about being paired off with a 'dumb-dumb', but it had all been done in jest. Now, with Judy working evenings, Nick working the night shift, and managing to get their days off coordinated most of the time, they had found the perfect rhythm to their family life.

A smile came to her face as the sounds of kittish giggles and Nick's delighted laughter reached her sensitive ears. Pulling her scarf from around her neck, the doe walked further into her home and towards the sounds that always filled her with happiness.

Coming into the living room, Judy Wilde was greeted by the sight of her fox covered from head to toe in their kits; the girls hanging on his arms, and the boys on both legs, all dressed in their pajamas.

Because their father was a fox, all four kits looked more like Nick in regards to which species they took after more, but Judy was definitely present in all of them. Hanging off of Nick's left arm, the oldest, Silene—named after what Nick called the 'Judy Flower', had Judy's coloring; gray and white fur, with vibrant violet eyes. Her ears were fox-like, but longer than a normal fox her age of seven years, obviously taking after her mother. Her tail was half the normal length of a fox's tail, and while her muzzle was more rabbit in shape, it was longer. Her teeth were the perfect combination of Nick and Judy's; predator canines with a bunny's trademark large front teeth.

Her sister, Scarlet, who hung off their father's right arm, was a much darker red in fur color than Nick; ergo, her name choice. The tip of her tail was white with a streak running along the underside of it, the white blending in with the cream fur of her underbelly. And just like her sister, she had longer than normal fox ears, with a fox tail that was a quarter of the length of a normal fox. Her eyes were a rich brown, having inherited the eyes of her grandfather on Judy's side of the family. While she did have a smallish fox muzzle, unlike the rest of her siblings, she didn't have any rabbit or prey teeth.

Attached to Nick's left leg was Nick Jr, or NJ, and aptly named so. His coat was the same red as Nick's, and his eyes were the same shade of emerald green. His ears were the normal length for a fox kit his age, his tail was the same length as Scarlet's. His muzzle was also on the small side, but more fox-like in structure, with predator teeth and small rabbit front teeth.

Lastly, attached to Nick's right leg was Robin. He was the perfect mix of color from Nick and Judy; gray fur with red markings along his coat—it was comparable to that of a grey fox's coat. His ears were smaller than average, a recessive gene from Nick's mother's side of the family, and his eyes were also a mix of the two; his left eye was purple, while his right eye was green. While he had the longest muzzle of the litter, predator teeth and all, he also had smaller rabbit front teeth.

"I have been conquered!" Nick exclaimed gleeful as he slowly lowered himself to the floor, mindful of his offspring. The dramatics of the tod caused Judy to bring a paw to her mouth to stifle her giggle. "The foxxits are too powerful! Can't. _Breathe_!" He then released a gargling sound before letting out his 'last' breath, much to the delight of the kits.

"We did it!" Scarlet cheered from Nick's chest, having moved from his arm as soon as the tod was down.

NJ, who had been about to pounce on his father's face, glanced up at the last second, and his face brightened as his gaze fell on Judy. "Momma's home!" This got a loud chorus of "Momma!" from all four kits, the mini swarm leaving the downed tod and quickly consuming the doe with their chirps of happiness.

Judy giggled as she knelt down on one knee, arms wide so she could hug and mark her kits. "Hello, sweeties." Only after she had marked each one of them, did a playfully stern expression settle upon her face. "Now, I know it is way past your bedtime…"

"Daddy said we could stay up until you got home!" Silene said, a smile on her face. She had just lost one of her front teeth, so it was a rather comically cute smile.

"Did he, now?" Judy teased as her gaze shifted to Nick.

"Yup." Nick said as he rose to his feet, smile on his face. "Which means, it's time for bed." He made his way towards Judy amidst the protesting kits, and kissed her on the lips. "Welcome home."

Judy grinned at the 'ewws' the kiss got. "It's good to be home."

"Yuck!" Robin groaned, his tiny face contorting into one of disgust.

Snickering lightly at Nick's playfully annoyed face, Judy watched as the tod rounded up the offspring.

"Alright, squirts. Kiss your mother good night, and then off to bed with you." Nick said as he started to shoo them towards their rooms. Obediently, though reluctantly, the kits did as they were told as they kissed Judy before heading off to bed. Just before Nick went to go after them to make sure they were actually going to sleep, a paw running through the fur at the tip of his tail caused a shiver to go up his spine, and his head to turn towards his mate.

"I need to speak with you before you start getting ready." Judy said with a soft smile. It was that smile that stopped Nick from worrying, and he gave her a quick nod.

Taking a seat on their couch, Judy relaxed as she waited, closing her eyes. She had drifted into a light snooze when she felt the space beside her dip under the weight of her fox. Amethyst eyes opened to gaze sleepily at an amused Nick.

"You look more ready to sleep than talk." The tod observed as he brought the tired bunny into a warm embrace. He didn't bother to stop his purr at her contented hum as she nestled into his side.

"I'm fine. Just tired." Judy assured.

"Long day?" Nick inquired gently as he rubbed her back. He checked the time on his watch, noting that he still had thirty minutes before he had to start getting ready.

"Yes." Judy sighed softly. She knew she needed to talk with Nick, but she just wanted to wallow in his warmth a bit longer.

When she didn't divulge more information, the fox glanced down at her with fond amusement. ' _I"m going to have to pull this from her.'_ "Does it have to do with why you left earlier? I didn't hear anything on the news, so I assumed everything was okay…"

Having drifted once more, Judy decided that the warmth of her fox was too tempting and pulled away, albeit reluctantly. "Right, yes." Paws on his arm, Judy locked gazes with Nick, a smile on her face. "I'm pregnant."

Nick's only reaction was the widening of his eyes and his lips parting in shock. Then he found his voice. "What? Really?"

"Really, really." Judy said, her smile widening. "I went to the doctor's today—which is why I left early; I've been feeling a bit off lately. It's not like last time; every pregnancy is different, but I definitely felt...off. I didn't want to tell you until I knew for sure, but yes," she placed a paw on her lower abdomen, "I'm a week into my term."

While she had been afraid of Nick's reaction the first time, that was before she knew how much foxes adored offspring. So the smile that slide across Nick's muzzle was expected—the tears and sudden hug from her fox, less so, but just as welcomed.

"That's amazing!" Nick choked as he hugged Judy close to him, his voice slightly muffled with his snout pressed into the fur of her neck and shoulder. Taking in her scent, now that he knew he was looking for it, he could just barely make out the fresh scent of new life that was hiding beneath her own. It was faint, but it was there. "I didn't know this could happen again…"

"We didn't know it could happen the first time!" Judy giggled as she comforted her emotional fox. "This is definitely going to be the last litter," Nick nodded in agreement into her shoulder, "but I'm excited."

"Me, too." Nick mumbled before placing a gentle kiss to her shoulder.

His head snapped up abruptly, eyes wide. "Wait! We have so much to do! We don't know how many yet, but we _definitely_ need to get a bigger place; this apartment is already too small with the six of us, and we need to get—"

Two firm, yet gentle paws took ahold of Nick's fluffy cheeks, his winter coat in full fluff-mode, and directed his face back to Judy's. Nuzzling her nose against Nick's, she gave him a tender kiss that caused panicked emeralds to darken slightly with desire when it ended. Even as a blush settled upon her own ears and cheeks, Judy offered him a relaxed smile.

"We'll figure it out. We always do."

"Right." Nick said as he hugged her closer to him once again. "We'll figure it out." There was a beat of contented silence. "I'm calling off work tonight."

Judy's delighted laughter filled his ears as he swept her up into his arms and towards their room.

FIN

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter written by Starfang's Secrets.

Writing this story was a challenge, one that I'm very proud to see completed. I'm also very happy that it's over.

I will be returning to my regular projects. Expect a chapter of EEE or YoD in the next two weeks.


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